The tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration has rendered its award in the arbitration brought by the Philippines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) does not accept the decisions that undermine the rights of the ROC, and declares that they have no legally binding force on the ROC.

The arbitral tribunal did not formally invite the ROC to participate in its proceedings, nor did it solicit the ROC’s views. The decisions of the tribunal that impinge on the interests of the ROC are completely unacceptable. Totally untrue is its declaration that Taiwan-governed Taiping Island is a “rock.” Taiping Island has abundant fresh water and lush forest that can sustain independent human habitations.

The ROC has sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their relevant waters. However, it is willing, through multilateral negotiations conducted on the basis of equality, to work with all states concerned to settle the disputes, and advance peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Wallace Chow

Director general, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu

Schools should have intramural sports

Paula Adams, executive director of the Hawaii Afterschool Alliance, makes a timely point by writing, “Afterschool programs are a critical tool in the effort to prevent juvenile crime” (“Convenience store robbery reminds us of need for afterschool programs,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, July 10).

I think that intramural athletics would be such a worthy program for high schools and middle schools. A long time ago, when I was a Roosevelt Rough Rider, I wanted to play sports throughout the year, but I wasn’t adept enough to make any of the varsity teams.

If I had the chance to play intramural sports — practicing and competing throughout the year — my sense of school and personal pride and loyalty would have escalated. I bet many students today share my belief.

Stuart N. Taba

Manoa

Overdevelopment is ruining Waikiki

I have lived in Hawaii long enough not only to view it as my home, but also to see the drastic changes that have come to the islands over the years.

One of the most evident places is Waikiki. Change is good and necessary to some degree, but this change is different.

I live in Waikiki and watched it go through an enormous transformation that is spinning out of control. The construction creates noise and abrasive dirt, constant traffic and haphazard lane closures that are not only frustrating but sad.

This community is my home and was once known for its beautiful beaches and tranquility. Now it has given way to million-dollar condos, luxury hotels, high-end stores and extravagant restaurants. When is it going to be enough?

It’s too much too soon, with too many people, and all to just make more money while others are being forced to leave their homes. We have lost touch with what makes Hawaii my home.

Carolyn Flanders

Waikiki

Obama’s Dallas speech misses point

At the funeral of the slain Dallas police officers, President Barack Obama gave a long, two-sided analysis of race relations and other social issues (“Obama seeks unity at service for police,” Star-Advertiser, July 13).

He missed it. There is no theory that justifies a civilian murdering a police officer. Whether an officer shooting a suspect is justified depends on the facts of the specific case. It is not a matter for generalizations or philosophical musings.

Lloyd Lim

Makiki

Remove bad apples from police forces

A solution to eliminating episodes that rankle the Black Lives Matter movement is to either fire or reassign to desk jobs all the bad apples in the police force, and to have a recruitment process that avoids hiring them in the first place.

Police officers who get complaints from the citizenry — whether justified or unjustified — should be monitored. A police officer who receives a certain number of complaints should either be reassigned to a desk job or fired.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The police have absolute power over the citizenry. And it is but natural for police officers to be corrupted by this absolute power.

Ruben Reyes

Waipahu

Missile defense system won’t work

Congratulations for publishing an excellent article that details the numerous failures and coverups of this kill-vehicle project (“Flight test billed as success failed,” Star-Advertiser, July 10).

The theme of this project is to develop a missile system that physically collides with an incoming threat missile, like shooting a bullet at an incoming bullet.

This is such an absurd physical concept that it would have received an “F” in a high school science class. Yet our glorious military has spent and continues to spend billions of taxpayer dollars for continued development that has produced only a history of failures.

Not even Hollywood would produce an “O.K. Corral” movie where the cowboys only shoot at the incoming bullets. The solution to this problem has always been to use whatever ordnance that is available to destroy the incoming vehicle.

My suggestion is to replace everyone at the Pentagon who has supported this ridiculous project that offers zero protection.

Milton Allione

Kailua