The award by an ad hoc arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea issue has drawn wide attention of Pakistan's leading newspapers, most of which gave special coverage to voice support for China's stance on the issue on Wednesday.
Pakistan's major English daily Pakistan Observer published an article on the issue as its super lead at the front page in title "China rejects third-party imposition on South China Sea".
Pakistan Observer also wrote an editorial, pointing out that China's right to the area goes back to centuries, and in 1947 China issued a map detailing its claims.
"Despite all this, China is still in favor of bilateral negotiations to sort out differences, but the United States is encouraging other parties to the conflict to raise the ante," it said, urging all sides to avoid escalating conflict and sit on negotiating table to find a peaceful resolution.
China has established its credentials as a peace-loving country and harbors no aggressive designs against any other state, but the United States is indulging in highly provocative activities in the name of freedom of trade patrolling, making it a flashpoint with potentially serious global consequences, it said.
Pakistan's largest English daily The News published the news with a headline "China vows to protect South China Sea sovereignty after ruling", reporting that China vowed to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
Pakistan's most prestigious daily Dawn printed the statement from Chinese foreign ministry, which said "the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it."
Another English daily Express Tribune published two articles at its front page in titles "China dismisses the case as farce, reaffirms sovereignty" and "Islamabad threw its weight behind Beijing after an arbitration ruled about South China Sea."
Another English daily Pakistan Today said "China thrashes Hague tribunal's verdict on South China Sea."
English daily The Nation said China does not accept any means of third-party dispute settlement without China's prior consent or any imposed solution.
"China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the issue, claiming that the court's actions are illegal and biased against it," it said.
One of the top ranking English newspapers Daily Times said the unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines is out of bad faith, which did not aim to resolve the disputes between China and the Philippines or to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, but to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. "The initiation of this arbitration violates international law," it said.
