The South China Sea charade

Eight years ago, on July 12th, 2016, a so-called arbitral tribunal housed in the Peace Palace in the Hague handed down a so-called South China Sea Arbitration award that has been hailed by the West as a victory against “China hegemony” and used as a basis to criticize China. China has never recognized the legality of this case. What was behind China's non-participation? How far back can we trace this “Let's-see-each-other-in-court” approach by Western powers?