UN tribunal to issue Philippines vs China ruling on July 12

MANILA, Philippines — United Nations' Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has announced that it will issue its final award in the arbitration case initiated by the Philippines against China on July 12.

"The Tribunal will issue its Award on Tuesday, 12 July 2016 at approximately 11 A.M. CEST, The Hague," the Netherlands-based tribunal said in an advisory issued on Wednesday.

The ruling will first be sent through e-mail to the involved parties along with a press release written in English in French, with an unofficial Mandarin Chinese translation.

"The Parties will receive originally signed versions of the Award. Hard copies of the Award will also be sent to the Embassies of States that were granted observer status for the hearings. There will be no in-person meeting or ceremony for the rendering of the Award," the PCA said.

The observer states and PCA member states will also receive copies of the award and the press release, along with the public and media who have registered to be included in the distribution list.

The PCA will also upload the tribunal's procedural orders, the reports of tribunal-appointed experts and the Philippines' written submissions on its website.

On January 2013, the Philippines initiated an arbitration against China's nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea pursuant to the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, China refused to participate in the proceedings of the arbitration.

The Philippines won the first round of the arbitration when the international tribunal issued its Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility on October 2015.