At today's press conference, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated China's stance on the South China Sea Arbitration, and said China will always keep the door open to negotiation.

"In 2013, the Philippines unilaterally initiated the South China Sea Arbitration. The move closed the door on settling disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and worsened relations between China and the Philippines. The two countries had reached consensus many times that we would settle disputes through dialogue and negotiations, but we never had any negotiations on the Philippines' appeal for arbitration,"

"The arbitration is contrary to the bilateral deals between the two countries, and violates the commitment the Philippines has made for the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as well as the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. It's also an abuse of the arbitration system of UNCLOS," said Hong Lei, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry.