Participants to the 12th South China Sea International Conference (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Participants to the ongoing 12th South China Sea International Conference discussed openly how to maintain peace and cooperation in the waters.
The event, which is taking place in both the in-person and online formats, is organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), in collaboration with the Foundation for East Sea Studies (FESS) and the Vietnam Layers’ Association (VLA).
Participants acknowledged that ASEAN countries in general exercised restraint to keep tensions in the East Sea under control. However, a number of Southeast Asian countries still firmly opposed China's claims in the sea.
ASEAN continues to promote multilateralism and its central role while striving to promote maritime cooperation on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal basis for operations in seas and oceans.
European speakers affirmed that the European Union (EU) has become more interested and increased its presence in Asia in general and the East Sea in particular in recent times through strengthening security cooperation with ASEAN member countries to protect the international legal system, free trade and a rules-based order in the region.
Regarding the "debate" with notes on the East Sea issue at the UN and its impact on the future of the negotiation process of the Code of Conduction in the East Sea (COC), scholars affirmed that UNCLOS 1982 has universal and comprehensive value, covering all maritime issues.
Regarding the role of the media in shaping public opinion in the East Sea, they mentioned the fact that some media agencies reporting from a populist perspective can falsify information, harming the promotion of collaboration in management and peaceful settlement of disputes.
Many scholars highlighted the openness of the media in Vietnam, which is reflected by the presence of many international media agencies in the country, and the openness and frankness of the Vietnamese government agencies towards foreign journalists./.
VNA
