China has accused the US of being the "mastermind" behind countries supposedly ganging up on Beijing as more countries are becoming supportive of the Philippines' territorial integrity over the West Philippine Sea. On the 7th anniversary of Manila's win in its arbitration case against Beijing, China on Wednesday night claimed the US has been pushing more countries each year to commemorate the ruling. "As the mastermind behind the South China Sea arbitration, the US ropes in allies to play up the issue each year on the anniversary of the illegal award to gang up against China and to exert pressure, and force China into accepting the award," the Chinese Embassy in Manila said. "We are firmly against this," it added. China's remark came after a growing number of countries have openly expressed support to the Philippines in the maritime row—a development welcomed by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo. Among those countries include the US, an ally of the Philippines; Japan, which also has disputes against China over the East China Sea; Australia, which shares the same waters with the Philippines and China; India, which shares a border with China; UK; France and other European nations. On July 12, 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled that China's "nine-dash line," which it cites as basis to claim the West Philippine Sea, a part of the bigger South China Sea, is contrary to the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS is an international agreement, which both the Philippines and China ratified, that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. In the same statement, China said it will "never accept any claim or action based on the award." Saying its rights and interests in the South China Sea were "established in the long course of history," China added its claims "are solidly grounded in history and the law" and will not be affected by any award. China then urged countries outside the region to respect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. It also called on them to "stop using the South China Sea issue to drive wedges among regional countries, and refrain from being a troublemaker to peace and stability in the South China Sea."