China today said the international arbitration tribunal which quashed its claims over the strategic South China Sea has nothing to with United Nations and its verdict delivered on July 12 is not binding.
"We have noted the statement of relevant organs of the UN which once again showed that temporary arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea arbitration is not an international tribunal and its composition and function has no legitimacy," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters here today.
Replying to a question, Lu said, "the award given by the tribunal is not authoritative without binding force".
Referring to media reports which termed the panel as UN tribunal, Lu said that now that the "UN agency has clarified we hope the relevant media would not make similar mistake in future".
China has been questioning the credibility of the tribunal and its panel who unanimously struck down Beijing's claims over almost all of the South China Sea based on historic rights and upheld the rights of the Philippines.
Published 14 July 2016, 13:15 IST