On 13 November 2015 , the 3rd Asia Maritime Security Forum was held in Ottawa, Canada, co-organized by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), the China Institute of the University of Alberta and Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS). Around 50 participants were at the Forum, including scholars from Canada, China, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan, as well as representatives from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and many other international organizations. Active discussions were conducted on topics such as the geopolitical challenges, economic factors and regional cooperation, legal challenges and the applicability of international law, as well as the reconciliation of interests of coastal states and user states.
ICAS Advisory Board member Wu Shicun attended the Forum and delivered his remarks at the opening ceremony. He pointed out that the lack of regional security architecture, as well as power politics and geopolitical competition are important factors that lead to frequent maritime conflicts in the Asia Pacific. If conflicts are not properly managed and responded to, regional peace and stability would be at risk. In order to reduce perception gap, avoid incidents and properly manage crisis if such a thing arises, parties concerned should insist on promoting political confidence building through dialogue and consultation, and develop an institutionalized platform for those efforts. The negotiation of a code of conduct (COC) should be actively pushed forward. Pragmatic maritime cooperation should be further promoted.
Click HERE to read the executive summary of this event.
