A Chinese think tank has released a legal opinion condemning the decision of Japan and the Philippines to initiate maritime delimitation talks related to the waters east of China's Taiwan Island, saying that the move "constitutes an internationally wrongful act" because it bypasses China, which is a direct stakeholder.

A Chinese think tank has released a legal opinion condemning the decision of Japan and the Philippines to initiate maritime delimitation talks related to the waters east of…

Legal opinion is the latest protest from Beijing over planned delimitation negotiations that it claims violate international law.