Full coverage: The South China Sea Issue

Chinese legal experts have held a symposium in Beijing on the recent arbitration case involving part of the South China Sea.  The experts said the tribunal violated international law and justice. Experts said that instead of resolving disputes in the South China Sea, the arbitration had increased regional tension, casting a shadow on regional peace and stability.

"Disputes between China and the Philippines concern the ownership of islands. Aided by the United States, the Philippines ignored historical facts, and bipassed provisions in Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," Wu Hui, deputy director of China Maritime Law Association, said.

"The arbitration did not solve the problem. It has caused more trouble. This is the most absurd part of the tribunal we've seen," Gao Zhiguo, director of China Maritime Law Association, said.