The Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress, with the support of the Philippine Office of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, organized a Track Two Observer Discussion Forum to look back at the recent developments in the South China Sea and how other claimant states, specifically Vietnam and Malaysia, have responded to thorny issues with other states, as well as their perspectives and expectations in the ongoing discussions for the COC.
Highlighted in the webinar proceedings are friction incidents between claimant states, the long process towards the creation of an SCS COC, and the myriad issues that continue to plague the discussions. Dr. Jay Batongbacal of UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea presented the Philippine perspective. Dr. Lai Thai Binh of the East Sea Institute of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam presented Vietnam’s perspective, and Ms. Sumathy Permal of the Centre for Straits of Malacca of the Maritime Institute of Malaysia presented Malaysia’s perspective.
To view the policy paper, please click here.