(VOVworld) – The ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the Phillipines’ lawsuit against China and China’s reaction dominated a conference held on Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The conference set out a series of scenarios on the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling of China’s 9-dash line claim and islands and rocks surrounding entities in the area. CSIS experts and the majority of participants believed that the Permanent Court of Arbitration will reject China’s groundless unilateral claim in the East Sea.
China used force in 2012 to take control of the Scarborough Shoal. (Photo: Reuters)

Amy Searight, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, said China will lose its prestige if it doesn’t honor the verdict. She said: “None of these diplomatic efforts are likely to change China’s initial calculus that it is going to stand up to reject the outcome and make it clear that it will not comply. But the hope is over the longer run, the reputational cause on China is as much as possible in its position. I think it may change the calculus and seek a face-saving solution”

Experts predicted that China’s reaction to the ruling may include building up the Scarborough Shoal, which it took control of by using force in 2012, continuing to blockade the Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines navy is stationed, and declaring an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East Sea.