Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a routine briefing that the South China Sea arbitration is essentially a political farce cloaked in legal language. The spokesman said an illegal arbitral award will not change China's historical sovereignty, sovereign rights or jurisdiction over the islands and adjacent waters, nor will it weaken China's determination to defend those rights. It will not alter China's policy of resolving disputes through negotiation with directly concerned parties. China will continue to work with regional states to safeguard peace and security in the South China Sea and promote regional prosperity.(金十数据)