Participants discuss on the sidelines of the conference (Photo: VNA)Da Nang (VNA) - The two-day 10th international conference on the East Sea (South ChinaSea), themed “Cooperation for Regional Security and Development”, wrapped up inthe central city of Da Nang on November 9.
During the secondworking day, domestic and foreign scholars, academics, and diplomats assessedthe situation in the sea over the past time and sought solutions to buildingtrust, managing, and step-by-step addressing disputes to maintain peace andstability in the sea.
Many scholars sharedthe view that the activity of reinforcing force-building and militarization inthe sea poses the biggest risk of uncertainty to the region as it is happeningfast. Some worried about the dual-use operation of units in the name of civilworks like observatories in the area.
Some newly-emergingissues that could impact security and order in the East Sea was analyzed, suchas the increasing use of unmanned vehicles in the absence of relatedinternational standards.
Discussingmeasures to build trust and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea,scholars said parties concerned should reconsider their demands which are notin accordance with international law, including the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), thereby narrowing disputes andgradually settling disputes by peaceful means.
Theywarned that negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) will takemuch time.
Delegatesfrom countries outside the region wished that ASEAN and China would improvetransparency in negotiations and respect legitimate interests of those nations.
Apartfrom COC, scholars said ASEAN member states could propose ideas to build othercodes of conduct in the East Sea, including the one on unexpected encounters inthe air, and standards on treating plastic wastes at sea.
Asthere are different interpretations of the 1982 UNCLOS and disagreement about TheHague Tribunal’s ruling about the East Sea issue, several opinions suggestedthat ASEAN should invite major countries to hold dialogues to reach consensuson the application of the UNCLOS as well as regulations regarding maritimefreedom.
Director of the DiplomaticAcademy of Vietnam Nguyen Vu Tung said after 10 editions, the seminar hasoffered a clearer insight into legal aspects and scholars shared view thatinternational law needs to be respected and fully enforced.
The event was co-held by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), theFoundation for East Sea Studies (FESS), and the Vietnam Lawyers’ Association(VLA).
The event included eight sessions, entitled “East Sea: the Heart of theIndo-Asia-Pacific Region”, “East Sea in the Spotlight: a10-Year Recap”,“Evolving Claims and Positions over the East Sea: Continuities and Changes”,“Major Powers: Engagements or Disengagements?”, “The Buildup of Forces in theEast Sea”, “Confidence Building”, “Preventative Diplomacy”, and “DisputeResolution, Order, and Disorder in the East Sea: Reflections”.-VNA
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