China has underlined its non-recognition of the 2016 international arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines and nullifying Beijing’s nine-dash line claim over nearly all of the South China Sea, only days after President Rodrigo Duterte described this in a speech before the United Nations General Assembly as a legal victory.

In a virtual forum organized by the Association for Philippines-China Understanding Inc., Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian cited the “consensus” allegedly reached between Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping to shelve maritime disputes and manage the situation through dialogue and cooperation.“China’s position on the so-called arbitral ruling has been very clear: We do not accept, and we do not recognize this so-called ruling. It has been agreed by our two presidents that we should close the old chapter and shelve differences,” said Huang.Huang said the consensus of Duterte and Xi to “put aside” the maritime disputes and manage the situation through bilateral consultations should be “vigorously implemented by both sides” so that the “sound momentum of our relations as guideposts to the way forward will be preserved and enhanced.”