MANILA—China urged Poland to refrain from supporting the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, reiterating its rejection of the ruling as it responded to remarks reportedly made by Polish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Bartoszewski.

Chinese Embassy in the Philippines spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said Beijing considers its position on the arbitration case “consistent and clear-cut,” maintaining that the ruling has no legal effect on China.

“The so-called arbitral award violates the basic principles of international law, including state consent and pacta sunt servanda, breaches the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and disregards the basic facts of the South China Sea,” Ji said.

He described the ruling as “illegal, null and void,” and said China does not recognize or accept it.

“It is nothing more than a piece of waste paper. China does not accept or recognize it, and opposes and does not accept any claim or action thereon based,” he said.

Ji made the remarks in response to a reported statement by Bartoszewski that China is obliged to comply with the 2016 South China Sea arbitration award and that Poland supports the Philippines on the issue.

The Chinese Embassy spokesperson said Poland is not a party to the South China Sea issue.

“We urge Poland to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, exercise prudence in its words and deeds, and stop endorsing and supporting the illegal ‘award,’” Ji said.