By defying the world, China has wounded itself

AN international court in The Hague has ruled that China’s trump card in its claims in the South China Sea—its long historical relationship—as depicted in a “nine-dash line” shown on official maps enclosing up to 90 percent of the waters, has no legal validity in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines.

The Chinese government has tried to have the best of both worlds by citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea when it was in its interest and citing history when its claims ran counter to what is laid down in that law. Thus, China since 1996 has asserted a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone from its coast, as granted by the law, but denies neighboring countries enjoyment of their zones by claiming historical rights in some of those areas.