A photo taken by the US's spy planes in the East Sea (Source: WSJ) The statement said the final and binding rulingof the PCA in July this year in accordance with Appendix VII of the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) opened up a chance to solverelevant disputes and boost cooperation conducive to environmental protectionand sustainable development in the waters.
It also highlighted the importance of ensuring thefreedom of navigation and aviation in line with international law in the East Seafor not only regional countries but also the international community as a whole.
The statement urged the acceleration ofdiplomatic and legal processes to address sovereignty disputes in the East Sea,while emphasising the role of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC) and the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC) between China and ASEAN in maintaining peace and stability in the EastSea.
Many participants, who are leading jurists andexperts from the US, the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Australia, affirmedChina’s sovereignty claims in the sea are completely groundless, stressing thatit is necessary to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.
They also reaffirmed the principle of solvinginternational disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law,including the 1982 UNCLOS and the application of the convention to addressingEast Sea-related disputes.
They hoped more international workshops andforums on the East Sea will be organised to expand study and links amonginstitutes and scholars, towards building common awareness and giving policy recommendationson the issue to governments and international organisations.-VNA
VNA
