Contribute to "academicizing the East Sea"

- Professor, what is different about this international conference organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities compared to previous conferences on the East Sea?

This workshop was held in the context of China being forced to withdraw the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig ahead of schedule from Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and at a time when ASEAN is determined to complete the goal of building the ASEAN Community by 2015. In addition, the workshop was also held when the Vietnamese Government firmly advocated resolving disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of respecting international law, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and actively negotiating to build a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC).

The workshop was attended by scholars from countries within and outside the region such as Germany, Indonesia, Japan, the United States and the Philippines, with representativeness and diverse and multi-dimensional voices.

In particular, the workshop had the participation of many leading Vietnamese experts such as Major General Le Van Cuong, former Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Public Security, Dr. Tran Cong Truc, former Head of the Government Border Committee, Prof. Dr. Do Tien Sam, former Director of the Institute for China Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Vu Tung, Director of the Institute for East Sea Studies, Diplomatic Academy...

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Quang Minh/Photo: baomoi

- The main theme of the workshop is “impact and approaches to peace and cooperation”, could you please elaborate on this theme and the goals of the workshop organizing committee?

This is the fundamental difference of this East Sea Conference. China's placement of the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone from May to July 2014 was a dangerous act, violating the United Nations Charter and international law, not only directly threatening Vietnam's sovereignty, but also affecting peace and security in the entire region and the world. Therefore, the conference aims not only to clarify the causes, motives, and impacts of the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig incident, but also to comprehensively and multi-dimensionally assess China's long-term strategy and plots in the East Sea, thereby proposing peaceful and cooperative approaches for the entire region.

With that goal, the workshop was divided into 5 closely linked and complementary sessions. First, the East Sea issue was considered in the context of strategic competition between the US and China, considering it as an important factor influencing the shaping of the current and future regional security architecture. Next, the workshop focused on discussing the legal aspect of the issue, considering it the key to fundamentally, peacefully and civilly resolving sovereignty disputes in the East Sea. Next, the workshop also spent time approaching the dispute issue through sharing experiences in peacefully resolving conflicts of other regions and countries in Europe and Japan. Finally, the workshop discussed very frankly and openly the role of ASEAN in sovereignty disputes in the East Sea, emphasizing the central role of ASEAN as an indispensable important factor in the context of competition for influence among major countries and the lack of an effective conflict resolution mechanism in the region.

Domestic and international delegates take souvenir photos at the Conference/Photo: Thanh Long

- What are the most notable results obtained through discussions at the workshop?

The workshop took place in an academic atmosphere, with frank and open exchanges, helping all parties understand each other's perspectives, thereby aiming to build a network to share information and research results in the future.

The workshop once again added the voice of track 2 diplomacy - the voice of scholars - an important and indispensable dialogue channel of modern diplomacy that has been widely recognized around the world. Approaching from an academic perspective will contribute practically to protecting the sovereignty of the Fatherland as well as regional peace and security. The common point that all reports share is the complex, intertwined, long-term nature of sovereignty disputes in the East Sea and therefore the solutions must be comprehensive, persistent, flexible, combining political, diplomatic and legal struggles in a synchronous manner.

- What did the opinions at the workshop say about the current dispute situation in the East Sea, Associate Professor?

The world today has become more interdependent than ever before, and this interdependence forces all countries to consider very carefully before making any decision. From that assessment, it can be predicted that it is unlikely that there will be a war or armed conflict in the region. However, scholars also believe that China will gradually implement "coercive tactics" led by civilian forces with the support of military forces to consolidate control over disputed waters legally. To deal with this plot, countries must implement an active diplomatic line, promote defense cooperation and enhance capacity building.

-As a leading training and research institution, how has the School been and will be concerned about issues related to the East Sea in particular and sea and island sovereignty in general?

As the country's leading training and research center, the School has had many research programs on maritime sovereignty, foreign policies of major countries and ASEAN cooperation. This is one of many seminars on the East Sea that the School has organized with the participation of international and Vietnamese scholars. "Academizing the East Sea", enhancing international cooperation in training and research on the East Sea, thereby raising awareness and understanding of maritime sovereignty issues, resolving disputes peacefully, on the basis of international law will be one of the important orientations of the School in the coming time.

Thank you, Associate Professor.