An overview of the conference (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Complying with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)and promoting the ASEAN’s central role are a policy choice of Vietnam insettling disputes in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam), saida local official.
In his closingspeech at the 11th South China Sea International Conference in Hanoion November 7, President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) Nguyen VuTung said the 1982 UNCLOS remains an important foundation for solutions to the SouthChina Sea issues.
During thetwo-day conference, domestic and foreign delegates discussed a range of mattersrelated to the South China Sea such as the 1982 UNCLOS, the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the underway planned Code of Conductin the South China Sea (COC) and other bilateral and multilateral agreementsand treaties, Tung said.
According tothe official, participants held that multilateralism persists although it isfacing challenges, especially in issues regarding the South China Sea. Multilateralismand the world’s order would confront bigger challenges if international law,including the 1982 UNCLOS, was not respected.
Delegates spentmuch time debating competition among world powers in the region and behaviour andactivities of major stakeholders such as the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea,India, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union, Tung said.
They also mentionedChina – the biggest claimant in the South China Sea and an emerging power inthe region, saying that Beijing was expected to be the biggest stakeholder inthe settlement of disputes in the waters, he added.
The 11th South China Sea International Conference with the theme of “Cooperation forregional security and development” was co-hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Foundation for EastSea Studies (FESS) and the Vietnam Lawyers Association (VLA), bringing togetheraround 50 speakers and 250 officials, scholars and diplomats of Vietnam andforeign countries.
For the past decade, since its first edition in 2009, theconference has become one of the most prominent forums which have gatheredleading experts to brainstorm a wide range of issues from maritime security,international law, marine-based economic development, and marine ecology, whichare deemed important to regional peace, development and environmentalsustainability./.
VNA
