The Chinese have opposed the application of the rule of law to disputes involving the South China Sea. They have resorted to threats, bribes, and divide-and-conquer tactics in order to get their way. So far, they have been pretty successful.
The Chinese government says it believes in the rule of law at home, but what it means by that is the elimination of local obstacles to the effective use of power by the center. The government makes the law–it is not bound by it. Politics will always prevail over legal norms when it really matters.
The Chinese government is currently posing as the defender of international law on trade issues. In light of the practices described above, should that claim be taken seriously?
Of course not. The Chinese see trade in much the same terms as Trump does. They just happen to have a political and economic system that is far better designed for mercantilism than ours.