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[brian577]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34671504

The Permanent Court of Arbitration, based in The Hague, rejected China's argument that the dispute was about sovereignty - and so beyond its remit.
It will now begin hearings on the case's merits, under a UN Convention.
China's claims in the South China Sea are contested by its Asian neighbours.
The Philippines has had diplomatic spats with China over the Scarborough Shoal and Spratlys in particular, rejecting its claims to those areas.
It says China's "nine-dash line", which China uses to demarcate its territorial claims, is unlawful under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which both countries have signed.

China has tried to block this for awhile. Odds they'll actually abide by the ruling if they lose?

 

[Volimar]

We disagree with the ruling and take whatever measures we feel necessary to defend our sovereign territory - China, probably.

 

[Takuan]

Does their ruling matter, or is it all just optics?

 

[G.ZZZ]

China has tried to block this for awhile. Odds they'll actually abide by the ruling if they lose?

1:Graham's Number

 

[SURGEdude]

Does their ruling matter, or is it all just optics?

Yup. I think China is pretty aware that part of being a superpower is letting the non-major powers squabble over stuff like this for years and then saying- we don't care, what ya gonna do about it?

The US and other hopefuls like Russia do it all the time and to great effect. And yes I think it's bad, but geopolitics is about getting your way not being nice. Big and influential/essential countries will always assert that advantage to ensure they are treated differently and above the rules. China like the US knows full well that no matter how much animosity they might incur no sane democratic nation would impose more than a symbolic economic retaliation because the effect of being retaliated against would be massive and wouldn't hurt the major power more than a fraction of a percent of GDP while decimating at the very least the electability of the people who choose not to be bullied and stood up.

 

[Walpurgis]

Yup. I think China is pretty aware that part of being a superpower is letting the non-major powers squabble over stuff like this for years and then saying- we don't care, what ya gonna do about it?

The US and other hopefuls like Russia do it all the time and to great effect. And yes I think it's bad, but geopolitics is about getting your way not being nice. Big and influential/essential countries will always assert that advantage to ensure they are treated differently and above the rules. China like the US knows full well that no matter how much animosity they might incur no sane democratic nation would impose more than a symbolic economic retaliation because the effect of being retaliated against would be massive and wouldn't hurt the major power more than a fraction of a percent of GDP while decimating at the very least the electability of the people who choose not to be bullied and stood up.

Yeah, I can't see anything coming out of this.

 

[Savitar]

China will respond by building another no matter what happens.

 

[Cooter]

And it will mean nothing.