The ruling on the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China by the Arbitral Tribunal convened at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague (PCA) was one of the most anticipated legal events of 2016. Following his public lecture at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) on 12 October 2016, Tjaco van den Hout, former Secretary-General of the PCA, will examine this dispute, the Tribunal’s ruling and its aftermath - one year on. He will discuss what was at stake from the perspective of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and elaborate on the Tribunal's ruling regarding China's territorial claims. He will do so against the backdrop of China’s de facto occupation and ongoing militarization of parts of the South China Sea. After exploring the evolving positions of both Manila and Beijing since the ruling, he will also address the reactions to the ruling of other states both within and outside of the region, including the United States as the U.S. Navy Pacific Command continues its freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) in the South China Sea. Visiting professor: Tjaco Theo van den Hout, LL.M (the Netherlands) has a unique mix of diplomatic and legal expertise. Tjaco served as a Deputy Secretary-General of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry from 1997 until 1999, and as a Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague from 1999 until 2008. Upon his return to diplomatic service in 2008, he was appointed as the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Laos. Event takes place on 14 December, 5 PM.