The seminar on a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea held in Bangkok on June 20 (Photo: VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – A seminar in Bangkok, Thailand, onJune 20 highlighted the urgent need to accelerate talks on a code of conduct(COC) in the East Sea to help maintain peace and stability in the region.
The event was held by the Bangkok-basedThammasat University, the German-Southeast Asian Centre of Excellence forPublic Policy and Good Governance (CPG) and the Asian Governance Foundation. Itdrew a number of experts, scholars and diplomats from ASEAN countries,including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines, and some westernnations.
Dr Li Nan from the East Asian Institute of theNational University of Singapore presented a report on military powerenhancement in the East Sea, saying that the enhancement will greatly affectthe political and security context in the region.
Regional countries should make use of existingfactors and build new mechanisms to minimise negative impact of this issue, hesaid, noting that ASEAN members need to perfect their central role and speed upthe COC negotiation.
A completed and comprehensive COC will create alegal corridor for regional parties to act responsibly on the basis ofinternational law, thereby helping to maintain peace and stability in theregion.
Li also suggested ASEAN apply the existingmechanisms like the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).
Other participants said the COC negotiationconclusion process will face many challenges amidst China’s denial of thePermanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling that rejected this country’sgroundless “nine-dash line” claim in the East Sea, its devaluation of the 1982UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its increase of communications aboutthe so-called “new status quo”. Meanwhile, the US and its allies have beenmaking more intervention in the region, creating unpredictable factors.
Participants shared the view that acomprehensive and binding COC is an urgent request. Therefore, ASEAN shouldfirmly keep its solidarity, unity and consensus during negotiations.-VNA
VNA
