EVENT SUMMARY:
National Institute for South China Sea Studies, together with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and the China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea are thinking of various ways to establish a platform between various Chinese and Southeast Asian think tanks to discuss upon issues that are pertinent to the South China Sea, and its disputes. For many years, South China Sea claimant states have been vying for control over their claims within the region, limiting any possible and practical cooperation to take place between each other. As such, distrust runs between claimant states, illegal activities such as IUU Fishing are prevalent, and the overall ecosystem is anything but pristine.
At the same time, the South China Sea is recognized as being one of the most important Sea Lane of Communications (SLOCs), providing a maritime trade access from East and Southeast Asian Countries to the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the rest of the world. Trade goods worth billions of dollars pass through the sea on an annual basis, propelling the need to keep the region stable, and to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Aside from the flowing trade, the South China Sea is also postulated to hold a significant amount of natural resources deep within its seabed. This further necessitates claimant states to make great efforts for provisional arrangements in a spirit of understanding and cooperation before the resolution of South China Sea disputes.
Despite the ongoing dispute, NISCSS, CSIS, and CSARC acknowledge that practical cooperation in promoting good faith must continue to be achieved without prejudice. Therefore, as have been done in the past, NISCSS, CSIS, and CSARC propose to conduct the “China-ASEAN Think Tank Dialogue on the South China Sea,” with the goal to promote cooperation, discussion, and solutions in bridging out differences between the various stakeholders in the South China Sea.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers will be organizing the event through an online format, inviting experts from various think tanks and academic organisations across ASEAN and China. The event will run for two days, in which participants are expected to play an active role in the discussion.
Dr. Nong Hong, Executive Director of the Institute for China-America Studies, will be a speaker in Session I: Latest Developments in the South China Sea.
Dr. Wu Shicun, Chair of the Institute for China-America Studies Advisory Board and President of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, will provide welcoming and closing remarks.
