2013年1月，菲律宾单方面强行就中菲南海争议提起仲裁。菲律宾单方面提起仲裁，无视中菲之间已经形成通过谈判协商解决争端的共识和菲在《南海各方行为宣言》中的郑重承诺，无视中国作为主权国家和《联合国海洋法公约》缔约国享有的自主选择争端解决机制和程序的权利，滥用《公约》强制争端解决机制，企图以所谓的《公约》解释和适用问题来掩盖中菲争议的实质是领土和海域划界争议，企图以《公约》来否定《联合国宪章》尊重他国领土主权完整的义务，混淆视听，为自己非法侵占中国南沙群岛部分岛礁的行为张目，构成对地区和平稳定的严重威胁。

In January 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated compulsory arbitration proceedings with respect to the disputes with China in the South China Sea. The Philippines unilaterally initiated the arbitration, disregarding the consensus between China and the Philippines on settling relevant disputes through negotiations and consultations, the solemn commitment of the Philippines in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and the legitimate rights that China enjoys as a sovereign state and a contracting party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the "Convention") to independently choose dispute settlement mechanisms and procedures. It abused the compulsory procedures for dispute settlement under the Convention in order to cover up the territorial and maritime delimitation nature of the disputes between China and the Philippines with the so-called "interpretation and application of the Convention", to use the Convention as a pretext to negate the obligation under the UN Charter to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries, and to mislead the public and defend its illegal occupation of some maritime features of China's Nansha Islands. The act of the Philippines constitutes a grave threat to peace and stability in the region.

南海诸岛自古就是中国领土。历代中国政府通过行政设制、军事巡航、生产经营、海难救助等方式持续对南海诸岛及相关海域进行管辖。日本在发动全面侵华战争后，侵占了中国西沙、南沙群岛。《开罗宣言》和《波茨坦公告》明确规定，日本应归还窃取的中国领土。抗战胜利后，中国收复西沙、南沙群岛，在岛上派兵驻守并建立各类军事、民事设施，从法律和事实上恢复对南海诸岛行使主权。

The islands in the South China Sea have been Chinese territory since ancient times. The successive Chinese governments have exercised jurisdiction over them through administrative management, military navigation, production and operation. Japan seized Xisha and Nansha Islands after it launched the war of aggression against China. Both the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation state in explicit terms that all the territories stolen from China by Japan shall be returned to China. Since the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, China has recovered Xisha and Nansha Islands, and stationed troops and set up various military and civil facilities on the islands. Thus, in terms of both law and facts, China has resumed its sovereignty over these islands in the South China Sea.