MANILA (REUTERS, PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ANN) - The Philippines on Tuesday (July 12) welcomed a UN-backed tribunal ruling on a case which it brought against China's claims in the South China Sea and called for restraint and sobriety.

"We are glad to read about the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) regarding the Philippines' jurisdiction over our exclusive rights in our economic zone," Vice-President Leni Robredo said in a statement.

The Philippines foreign ministry called for "restraint and sobriety" after the tribunal issued a decision favourable to Manila and condemned by Beijing.

"Our experts are studying this award with the care and thoroughness that this significant arbitral outcome deserves," Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference.

"We call on all those concerned to exercise restraint and sobriety. The Philippines strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision."

He said the decision upholds international law, specifically the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to efforts of pursuing the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with the view of promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region," he said.

The PCA in The Hague released its 497-page document on the ruling, accompanied by an 11-page press release, on Tuesday.

"The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the 'nine-dash line," the release said.

It also tackled the other issues and arguments raised by the Philippines in its case.