Young scholars counter court action

The open letter initiators take a group photo with the China Daily journalist based in Europe with copies of China Daily (European edition) in hands in front of the Peace Palace in Hague, the Netherlands on July 8, 2016. [Photo by Fu Jing/China Daily]

"In order to show our full professionalism," Peng says, her team has asked a British English teacher at her university and an interpreter for the United Nations to polish the language. "We have prepared the English, Dutch and Chinese versions, and it consists of a full text and summary," says Peng. "We conclude that the ruling will be neither binding nor helpful."

She says the letter has been jointly signed by the team of scholars, lawyers and students who drafted it. So far, more than 300 supporters have offered their backing and by July 12, when the tribunal is expected to announce its verdict, the number of supporters should surpass 1,000, she says.

She plans to make the open letter public before the result is announced. She says the group is gathering the email addresses of international organizations while making it ready for Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.

"We are fully prepared to take more actions to make people at home and abroad know the true story about the case," says Peng, adding that a seminar in the Netherlands is being planned.