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Norway has reiterated its position that conflicts in the South China Sea, being an international shipping lane, should be resolved peacefully and with due regard to applicable international law.
“Our belief is that if there are any conflicts, those should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the rules and regulations that apply,” Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Christian Lyster said at a conference in Makati City on Tuesday.
He added that Oslo was a “strong believer in the rule of law and that includes international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
According to Lyster, “when there is a ruling like the 2016 ruling, both parties should abide according to that ruling,” referring to the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decision dismissing Beijing’s claim to most of the South China Sea.
Norway is among the growing number of countries that have rejected China’s expansive “nine-dash line” and backed Manila’s plea for respect for the country’s exclusive economic zone and international borders.
