(VOVworld) – The ongoing international seminar on the East Sea in Ho Chi Minh City, the fourth of its kind, is consistent in discussing the importance of the area from the viewpoints of international law, the interests of concerned parties and the recent developments there. Themed ‘East Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development’, the event aims to help the public better understand about issues relating to the East Sea and propose to directly and indirectly concerned governments to strengthen cooperation to prevent and control conflicts and crises there. Through this diplomatic channel, Vietnam wants to reiterate its determination to resolve maritime disputes in a peaceful manner, based on international law and historical truth contributing to preserving peace and stability for regional development.
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| At the seminar. (Photo: Hoang Anh Tuan/Vietnam+) |
The international seminar on the East Sea drew nearly 200 delegates half of them are international experts, scholars, and government officials from 27 countries and territories. About 30 representatives of diplomatic corps in Vietnam took part in the event. It’s not difficult to explain why seminars on the East Sea always receive special attention from international community as this place is playing a more key role in regional peace, stability, and development. Its wealth and strategic position have made the East Sea become a tensely disputed place in terms of not only territorial water but also political interests. Recent studies by scholars, historians, and experts on international laws have contributed to minimizing disputes there while the public have been well aware of the East Sea issues. Đặng Đình Quý is Director of the Diplomacy Academy of Vietnam ‘Discussions, analyses, and recommendations at these seminars are becoming more practical for preserving peace, stability, and development in the East Sea. Scholarly opinions and reports have contributed to turning East Sea issues into a common concern of the international community. The nature of territorial disputes concerning the East Sea has been analyzed scientifically and objectively so that the public of each nation involved have a full understanding’.
The meeting coincides with the 30th anniversary of the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 10th year since the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea was signed. Most recently, ASEAN and China have agreed on boosting the building of a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea. This seminar aims to recommend scholarly opinions and reports for policy makers to consider carefully their national interests before making any decision relating to the East Sea. Meanwhile, this seminar offers Vietnam a chance to show its historical foundations and evidence to affirm the national sovereignty. Associate Professor Nguyễn Bá Diến is Director of the Center for International Sea and Maritime Law Study under the National University in Hanoi ‘Hosting such event is one of the best ways to help our people and the international community, including Chinese people, to know more about the truth and justice. Publicizing the evidence is to affirm the Vietnamese sovereignty’.
Publicizing information is an effective way to minimize territorial disputes. Historical research and assessments made scientifically and legally are an indispensable trend in a globalization world to deal with such disputes. Doctor Nguyễn Hồng Thao is an expert on the East Sea from the National University in Hanoi. He used to be a Deputy Head of the National Border Committee ‘The East Sea issue is an international issue. Located at the center of Asia and Pacific, linking the two continents, the East Sea is economically busy. It’s a common sea for all countries around the East Sea area with equal interests and free marine rights’.
Despite increased cooperation in the region, there remain many risks of disputes in the East Sea if parties directly and indirectly concerned don’t make enormous efforts.