Standing at a New Starting Point How can maritime cooperation in the South China Sea make new progress?
Boao, 3 Mar (ZXS) -- The South China Sea is the common home of littoral countries. 30 marks the 2022th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the 20th anniversary of the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Now, standing at a new historical starting point, how can littoral states further promote maritime cooperation in the South China Sea?
The Boao Forum for Asia 2023 Annual Conference South China Sea Sub-forum opened on the 30th, and the guests provided new ideas for the construction of order and maritime governance in the South China Sea.
Chinese Foreign Minister Assistant Nong Rong said in his speech that over the years, China and ASEAN countries have fully and effectively implemented the DOC, continued to promote consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (hereinafter referred to as the Code), and created enhanced and upgraded versions of maritime area rules. However, it should also be noted that security and cooperation in the South China Sea still face risks and challenges, and the interference of certain major countries outside the region in the South China Sea affairs affects regional peace and stability.
Over the past 20 years, the DOC has played an important role in maritime cooperation in the South China Sea. Li Guoping, Director of Safety of the Ministry of Transport, Executive Deputy Director of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center, and Director of the Maritime Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Transport, said that over the past 20 years, China and relevant countries have jointly held a series of projects such as maritime search and rescue exercises and advanced training courses on maritime search and rescue, which have enhanced the maritime emergency handling capability in the South China Sea and further guaranteed the safety of the maritime environment.
"Maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is in our collective interest." Former Philippine President Arroyo said that although there will still be maritime differences and the test of events in the future, the channels of dialogue that the Philippines and China have established are playing a positive role, and "it took decades for the South China Sea coast to achieve hard-won development achievements, which can only be enjoyed by maintaining trust, peace and stability." ”
Regarding the intervention of foreign countries in the South China Sea affairs, David Lampton, professor emeritus of China studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, bluntly said that one's own security should not be achieved at the expense of the security of other countries, "In the South China Sea, unilateralism cannot achieve absolute security, only cooperative security." He added that the Code would help establish common norms and help avoid conflicts over maritime and resource use.
Over the past five years, consultations on the Code have been affected by the pandemic and political disruptions. Liu Zhenmin, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, called on all countries to seize the post-epidemic opportunity to complete the Guidelines at an early date and seize the initiative on the South China Sea issue.
Wu Shicun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the China-Southeast Asia South China Sea Research Center and Chairman of the Huayang Marine Research Center, further suggested that the littoral states of the South China Sea could initiate research and consultation on the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment in the South China Sea, and promote practical maritime cooperation in accordance with the principles of "small incision, low sensitivity, easy start, bilateral before multilateral". Regional countries can also explore the establishment of the South China Sea Cooperation Council, with the central task of promoting practical maritime cooperation under the framework of the DOC, implementing the Code after its signing and entry into force, and negotiating the Convention on Environmental Protection in the South China Sea, so as to provide organizational and institutional guarantees for cooperation and the construction of rules and order in the South China Sea. (End)
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