Int’l seminar looks at impacts of East Sea disputes

The event hosted by the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities is seen as a scientific forum for Vietnamese and international scholars to propose solutions towards peace and co-operation in accordance with the UN Charter, international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea ( DOC).

In his address, Hanoi National University Director Ass.Professor. Dr Phung Xuan Nha emphasized that territorial disputes in the East Sea are the most noticeable hot spots in recent times along with the Korean Peninsula, the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea as they are not simply a matter between the countries that file territorial claims.

Owing to a politically and economically important position, and the growing interdependence among nations, East Sea disputes have become an issue of Asia-Pacific and global concern.

“The unilateral aggressive acts in the East Sea by China recently has and will affect the whole region and the world in terms of many different aspects-security, cooperation, development and maritime freedom and new world order.” Nha noted.

In the recent past, Vietnamese and International scholars and scientists have expressed their strong voice and made important contributions to protecting peace and security in the region.

They have provided scientific grounds and true argumentation for the peaceful struggle to defend justice and prevent potential dangerous conflicts. As a leading center for training and scientific research in Vietnam, the Hanoi National University has pledged to support topics and research projects having positive impacts on peace and security in the region and the world alike, Nha said.

During the two-day seminar (October 9-10), participants discussed five major topics: The East Sea in a big picture of world powers- China and the US; East Sea territorial disputes in the context of international law; the legal basis and the method of peacefully resolving international disputes on maritime sovereignty; corollary of conflicts between Japan and China to resolve conflicts in the East Sea; ASEAN's role in preventing escalating conflicts in the East Sea.

As a member of ASEAN, Vietnam consistently confirms its desire to address the problem by peaceful measures without the use of force and threats to use force in compliance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam will enhance cooperation with ASEAN in dealing with the East Sea issue since the regional grouping has played a central role in regional security initiatives such as the establishment of "the ASEAN Regional Forum" (1994) and  signing "The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea" (DOC 2002) with China.

Vietnam is joining hands with other regional nations in building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) and three communities- politics-security; economics; culture-society by 2015.