(VOVworld) – Professor Sean D. Murphy of George Washington University Law School, a member of the UN International Law Commission, said the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) July 12 ruling has created precedent and legal foundations for involved countries to continue discussion and cooperation.

Prof. Sean Murphy speaks at WTO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo: VNA)

Prof. Murphy made his presentation in the last week’s debate on international law by the Legal Affairs Division of the WTO Secretariat, at WTO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.  

Prof. Murphy summarized the Philippines versus China arbitration case and commented on the PCA rejecting China’s claims and the court’s explanations of regulations defining structures such as islands and rocks.

Answering the Vietnam News Agency’s queries on the impacts of the PCA ruling, Prof. Murphy said the ruling provided points and supportive legal foundations for countries in the region to continue negotiating on structures in the East Sea. Although it hasn’t yet resolved all the issues, the ruling has created premises for further discussions and cooperation. Prof. Murphy said the PCA’s views contribute to the development of international law in general. He underlined that the ruling used not only the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea but also international law in explaining the Convention and issues relating to international law. Thus, the ruling of the PCA can be used as a common practice in international law and applied in future arbitration cases.