18-19 November 2021, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
the 13th South China Sea International Conference
LOOKING BACK to A BRIGHTER FUTURE
  • 00Days
  • 00Hours
  • 00Minutes
  • 00Seconds

We would like to thank our Partners for their supports in organising this event !

Programme

  • 8.30am - 8.50am (GMT+7)

OPENING

- Dr. Pham Lan Dung, Acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
- H.E. Mr Pham Quang Hieu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam

  • 8.50am - 9.45am (GMT+7)

Keynote Session: Constructing a Cooperative and Connected Indo-Pacific

- H.E. Mr. Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, President and CEO of the Asia Society
- H.E. Dr. R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia
- H.E. Ms. Amanda Milling, Minister for Asia, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom

    Day 1: Looking back

    • 9.45am - 11.15am (GMT+7)

    Session 1: The South China Sea in a shifting global landscape

    This session will look back at developments in the South China Sea over the past year(s) to further understand why various stakeholders act the ways they do? Why the more interest there is on peace, stability and order in the sea, the greater erosion of trust there seems to be? Why common interests have not led to greater, more effective cooperation and lessen tensions?

    Moderator:
    H.E. Amb. Giorgio Aliberti, Head of European Union Delegation in Vietnam

    Speakers:
    - Mr. Derek Grossman, Senior Defense Analyst, RAND Corporation, US
    - Dr. Vannarith Chheang, President of the Asian Vision Institute, Cambodia
    - Dr. Ding Duo, Associate Research Fellow of National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Deputy Director of Research Center for Oceans Law and Policy, China
    - Vice Admiral Yoji Koda (Retd), Former Commander in Chief, Japan Self Defence Fleet (JSDF), Japan
    - Prof. Stephen R. Nagy, Senior Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo and Senior Fellow, MacDonald Laurier Institute, Canada

    • 11.15am - 12.45pm (GMT+7)

    Session 2: Thirty years after the Cold War: Is another brewing and How to prevent one from breaking out into conflicts

    This session would not delve into the conceptual debate on what a cold war is and is not. Rather, the session would look back at the lessons learnt among both the major and minor powers of the last cold war to see what can be done to establish decent code of conduct among all, avoiding miscalculations and manage incidence so that conflicts could be avoided at all costs. The roles of the major powers, middle powers, autonomy and alliances, multilateral organisations and strategic communications etc. would be revisited.

    Moderator:
    H.E. Amb. Elsbeth Akkerman, Embassy of the Netherlands in Vietnam

    Speakers:
    - Dr.  Zack Cooper,  Senior  Fellow,  American  Enterprise  Institute
    - H.E. Amb.  Bilahari  Kausikan,  Former Permanent Secretary  of the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore 
    - Dr.  Anna  Kireeva,  Associate Professor,  Department of Asian and  African Studies, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) 
    - Dr.  Shuxian Luo,  Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, The Brookings Institution
      - Dr.  Sang  Hyun  Lee,  President, The  Sejong  Institute, Korea

    • 2.00pm - 3.30pm (GMT+7)

    Session 3: Cementing the legal order in the South China Sea: Assessment of the past 5 years

    It is widely recognized that UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award, a decision of an international judicial body, provides a reference point for interpreting and applying relevant UNCLOS provisions, aside from its direct implications on parties to the dispute.
    Session 3 will examine how legal order has been manifested in the South China Sea over the past 5 years. The discussion includes an analysis on (i) where state practices have developed to either deviate from or endorse the constitutional role of UNCLOS and (ii) how the legal order at sea would continue to evolve.

    Moderator:
    H.E. Amb. Robyn Mudie, Embassy of Australia in Viet Nam

    Speakers:
    - Prof.  Jay  Batongbacal, University of the Philippines, the Philippines 
    - Dr.  Lin Ting-hui,  Deputy General Secretary of Taiwanese Society of International Law, Chinese Taipei 
    - Prof.  Nishimoto  Kentaro,  Tohoku University, Japan  
    - Dr.  Yan  Yan, Director of the Research Center of Oceans Law and Policy in the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS),  China
    - Mr. Andrew Murdoch,  Legal  Director, the UK  Foreign  and  Commonwealth  Office,  United  Kingdom 

    Discussants:
    - Dr. Joanna Mossop, Associate Dean (Research), Law Faculty at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

    • 3.45pm - 5.15 pm (GMT+7)

    Session 4: Be fair to the facts: History and the South China Sea

    History is important in any territorial disputes, but is oftentimes interpreted in different ways to suit different interests. This session shall revisit the history of the South China Sea with the view to exploring new research findings and clarifying certain facts, especially during the turbulent times after the Second World War and during the Cold war. Looking back on the Treaty of San Francisco at its 70th anniversary, for example, could be useful to understand the SCS’s history at a critical moment.

    Moderator:
    Dr. Erik Solheim, Former Executive Director of UN Environment Programme and former Minister of Environment and International Development, Norway

    Speakers:
    - Mr. Carl Zha, Independent Researcher, China
    - Dr. Bill Hayton, Senior Expert, Asia-Pacific Program, Chatham House, UK
    - Prof. Monique Chemillier-Gendreau, Emeritus Professor, Paris Diderot University, France
    - Dr. Vu Hai Dang, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of International Law, National University of Singapore (CIL)  

    • 5.30pm - 6.00pm (GMT+7)

    Keynote Session: Constructing a Cooperative and Connected Indo-Pacific

    - H.E. Mr. Pawel Herczynski, EU’s Managing Director for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and Crisis Response

      Day 2: Towards a brighter future

      • 8.30am - 9.00am (GMT+7)

      Keynote Session: Constructing a Cooperative and Connected Indo-Pacific

      H.E. Amb. Sujan Chinoy, Former Ambassador of India to Japan, Director General of Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi

      • 9.00am - 10.30am (GMT+7)

      Session 5: ASEAN and the QUAD in the regional architecture

      This session would look into the future of the regional security architecture to analyze how ASEAN and the emerging QUAD would compete or complement one another. The purpose of the discussion is to find out how ASEAN could and should strengthen its Centrality amid emerging issues affecting Southeast Asia’s security and stability, both due to traditional and non-traditional threats, as well as new emerging arrangements to deal with such threats.

      Moderator:
      H.E. Amb. Pham Quang Vinh, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam

      Speakers:
      - H.E. Amb. Igor Driesmans, Head of European Union Mission to ASEAN
      - Dr. Rizal Sukma, Senior Fellow, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta, Indonesia
      - Prof. Carl Thayer, Emeritus Professor at The University of New South Wales and Director of Thayer Consultancy, Australia
      - Prof. Harsh Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, India

      • 10.45am - 12.15pm (GMT+7)

      Session 6: Disrupted supply chains: how to ensure resilient sea lanes amid Covid-19

      Supply chain disruptions threaten worldwide economic recovery efforts. In the Indo-Pacific, supply chain resilience depends greatly on stable, secure and uninterrupted sea-lanes of communication. This session will explore how factors such as infrastructure connectivity, port security cooperation, etc., might contribute to regional seaborn supply chain resilience, identify potential red flags in the management of maritime supply chain operations, and discuss ways to enhance the safety and stability of sea based logistical networks so as to ensure the Indo-Pacific region remain on a path to steady and sustainable growth in pandemic-troubled times.

      Moderator:
      H.E. Amb. Jaya Ratnam, Embassy of Singapore in Vietnam

      Speakers:
      - Ms. Dhvani Zaveri, Research Analyst, DRIP Capital
      - Dr. Nguyễn Quốc Trường, Head, Service Sector Development Strategy Department, Institute of Development Strategy, Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment & Mr. Trần Đức Nghĩa, Director General, Delta International Co., Ltd.
      - Dr. Michele Acciaro, Associate Professor of Maritime Logistics and Director, Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping and Global Logistics, Kühne Logistics University
      - Dr. Alejandro T. Reyes, Director of Knowledge Dissemination, Asia Global Institute, The University of Hong Kong
      Discussant:
      - Ms. Shihoko Goto, Acting Director, Asia Program, The Wilson Center

      • 2.00pm - 3.30pm (GMT+7)

      Session 7: Promoting science diplomacy for common oceanic benefits

      Scientific research has long been identified as an area of common interest and most ready for cooperation to promote confidence as well as for the immediate benefit of the coastal states and beyond. This session would explore recent progress in science diplomacy and maritime cooperation, and the new opportunity brought out by rapid science and technological advancement to address environmental, humanity and economic development challenges, as well as non-traditional maritime threats.

      Moderator:
      Mr. Marcus Winsley, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the United Kingdom in Vietnam

      Speakers:
      - Dr. Nguyen Chu Hoi, Retired Chair, Vietnam Association for Maritime Environment & Nature
      - Dr. Allen Chen, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Chinese Taipei
      - Dr. Anastasia Telesetsky, Natural Resources Management & Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly
      - Dr. Sophie Boisseau du Rocher, Center for Asian Studies, French Institute of International Relations

      • 3.45pm - 5.15pm (Hanoi Time, GMT+7)

      Session 8: Transparency through Tracking Technologies

      The past few years saw rapid advancement and popularization of sophisticated tracking and remote sensing technologies, opening new frontiers in maritime domain and situational awareness, particularly in the South China Sea. The unprecedented level of transparency that technology brought clearly had huge impact on public understanding and opinion, on accountability of involved stakeholders both at policy level and those operating “on the ground”. This session will discuss how the new information could and should be wisely utilized to avoid misinformation and disinformation.

      Moderator:
      Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam

      Speakers:
      - Mr. Gregory B. Poling, Director, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), USA
      - Captain Shichen Tian (Retd), Founder and President, Director of Center for International Law of Military Operations, Global Governance Institution (GGI), China
      - Mr. Nguyen The Phuong, Research Fellow, South China Sea Chronicle Initiative (SCSCI), Vietnam
      - Captain Martin A. Sebastian (Retd), Former Senior Fellow/Centre Head, Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy, Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA), Malaysia

      • 5.15pm - 5.30pm (Hanoi Time, GMT+7)

      Closing Remarks

        SIDE EVENT: YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAMME

        Moderators and Speakers

        H.E. Amb. Pier Giorgio Aliberti
        H.E. Amb. Pier Giorgio Aliberti
        "The South China Sea is a complex issue driven by increasing entanglement between sovereignty dispute, resource interest, nationalism, and the ambition to gain supremacy, and it is compounded by the militarization and the intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China. Within the context of a VUCA South China Sea, ASEAN- although its unity and centrality are under strain- still have a critical role to play in continuously promoting dialogues and trust building, maintaining the norms and conditions for peaceful settlement of the dispute."
        Dr. Vannarith Chheang
        "We are approaching the most serious crucial point in history whether to make the South China Sea a China's monopolistic yard or a Human's Common for everybody."
        Vice Admiral Yoji Koda (Retd)
        "The situation in the South China Sea is increasingly complex, volatile, and fragile. The wise choice for regional countries to make the pie of common interests bigger, hedge against destabilizing factors through cooperation."
        Dr. Ding Duo
        “Over the last decade, China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has increasingly caused concern among its regional neighbors as well as extra-regional states, to include Australia, India, Japan, and the US. Thrilled to be offering my thoughts on all of this @SCSconference”
        Mr. Derek Grossman
        "As a response to the competition to shape the region’s institutional design and character, this paper finds that regional stakeholders including Japan, Australia, India, the US and the EU are investing in a layered approach to institution building in the region that includes trade, diplomatic, security, and development pillars to enhance strategic autonomy of Southeast Asian states by anchoring an increasing number of stakeholders to the region that can contribute to institutional and rule-based regionalism."
        Prof. Stephen R. Nagy
        Amb. Bilahari Kausikan
        Amb. Bilahari Kausikan
        Amb. Elsbeth Akkerman
        Amb. Elsbeth Akkerman
        Dr. Anna Kireeva
        Dr. Anna Kireeva
        Dr. Sang Hyun Lee
        Dr. Sang Hyun Lee
        Dr. Zack Cooper
        Dr. Zack Cooper
        Dr. Shuxian Luo
        Dr. Shuxian Luo
        H.E. Amb. Robyn Mudie
        H.E. Amb. Robyn Mudie
        Dr. Joanna Mossop
        Dr. Joanna Mossop
        “Without Rules, Nothing Can Be Done.”
        Mr. Lin Ting-hui
        Dr. Yan Yan
        Dr. Yan Yan
        Mr. Andrew Murdoch
        Mr. Andrew Murdoch
        Prof. Jay Batongbacal
        Prof. Jay Batongbacal
        Prof. Nishimoto Kentaro
        Prof. Nishimoto Kentaro
        "Chinese officials denied ownership or responsibility for the Paracel Islands until the twentieth century."
        Mr. Bill Hayton
        "The journey of Japan with the Paracels and Spratlys was somewhat similar to the story of many couples today. It grew quick, ended fast and with a divorce agreement in between"
        Dr. Vu Hai Dang
        "Peaceful resolution of the South China Sea dispute is vital to peace and stability of the region. Understanding China's intentions from a historical perspective is key to bridge the gap of perception."
        Mr. Carl Zha
        Prof. Monique Chemillier-Gendreau
        Prof. Monique Chemillier-Gendreau
        Dr. Erik Solheim
        Dr. Erik Solheim
        Amb. Igor Driesmans
        Amb. Igor Driesmans
        H.E. Amb. Pham Quang Vinh
        H.E. Amb. Pham Quang Vinh
        "The Quad is a permanent fixture of the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. It is entirely focused on coordinating whole-of-government responses to major non-traditional security issues such as pandemics, climate change, disruptive technologies and quality infrastructure."
        Prof. Carl Thayer
        "As Sino-US rivalry become more intense, ASEAN faces multiple challenges. The strengthening of US-centred security partnership in Indo-Pacific, manifested among others in the growing role of the QUAD, constitutes one such challenge with three possible consequences for ASEAN. First, as extra-regional powers began to formulate their own responses to great power politics, ASEAN is under increasing pressure to prove its relevance in the emerging regional order. Second, as ASEAN member states will increasingly feel the pressure to take side, unity and strategic autonomy will be undermined. Third, as power politics has clearly exposed the limits of ASEAN’s over-reliance on normative approach to manage great powers competition, the future of ASEAN’s centrality is at stake. ASEAN would be able to withstand the challenges of maintaining centrality and preserving strategic autonomy if the grouping sees the QUAD as complementing instead of competing with the ASEAN-centred regional processes. This, however, must be done in a manner consistent with the ASEAN’s own outlook on Indo-Pacific which emphasises the importance of inclusivity as an important element of emerging regional order."
        Dr. Rizal Sukma
        "There is a natural convergence between the ASEAN and the Quad when it comes to their visions about regional architectures in the Indo-Pacific. All the four Quad nations have kept ASEAN centrality at the core of their vision about regional architecture. This natural convergence between the ASEAN and Quad should help in shaping a new regional order."
        Prof. Harsh V Pant
        H.E. Amb. Jaya Ratnam
        H.E. Amb. Jaya Ratnam
        “As business complexity increases, as a result for example of the climate crisis, we need a fundamental rethinking of the principle governing global supply chains, to ensure that the system responds to the needs of a global society and is better prepared for the future.”
        Dr. Michele Acciaro
        “To ease the supply chain disruptions, all pertinent stakeholders need to make efforts towards improving the global logistics infrastructure. To achieve stability and promote sustainable trade growth, there needs to be a considerable focus on enhancing the reliability of the logistics network by making processes much more transparent. Faster adoption of digital operations by all players in the sea-borne trade market should be a step in the right direction.”
        Ms. Dhvani Zaveri
        “Short- and longer-term action is required to address supply-chain stress and resilience. The immediate priority is to resolve the public-health problems that are impeding the manufacture and movement of goods. Especially urgent is the need to ensure the safety of workers along supply chains, including maritime crew and port personnel. Longer term, businesses, governments, and healthcare sectors have to understand what “resilience” means in terms of commercial, public-health and strategic risk management. Multilateral cooperation will be necessary.”
        Dr. Alejandro T. Reyes
        “To facilitate the recovery of manufacturing activities in ASEAN countries and China, ASEAN-China supply chain links which have been hurt during the Covid-19 pandemic need to be revived. Logistical connectivity will continue to be an important basis for regional economic cooperation in the time to come.”
        Dr. Nguyễn Quốc Trường
        Mr. Trần Đức Nghĩa
        Mr. Trần Đức Nghĩa
        “Enhancing supply chain resiliency in the interest of economic security is one of the key lessons learned from the global pandemic. It also has made clear the strategic importance of Southeast Asia, and the need to not only deepen existing ties, but also develop new networks to ensure economic stability worldwide.”
        Ms. Shihoko Goto
        "Strengthening trans-boundary cooperation in marine sciences, coral reef ecosystems and climate change research among the countries will be an important task and poses a challenge to the sustainability of the South China Sea."
        Dr. Allen Chen
        "The South China Sea has been a oceanscape of great historical abundance and the regional States hold the key to its future abundance. The choice to be made will be whether States can move from a path of recurring conflict to a path of sustained cooperation for South China Sea ecological restoration. "
        Prof. Anastasia Telesetsky
        "Scientific Cooperation as a gateway for domination?"
        Dr. Sophie Boisseau du Rocher
        Mr. Marcus Winsley
        Mr. Marcus Winsley
        "Real marine S&T cooperation contributes to building confidence of the Parties, to maintaining the peace and to reducing tentions in the SCS !"
        Prof. Nguyen Chu Hoi
        Dr. Nguyen Hung Son
        Dr. Nguyen Hung Son
        "Looking Forward: Technology To Compel Compliance"
        Captain Martin A. Sebastian RMN (Retd)
        "Using remote sensing data and open source analysis, CSIS and C4ADS have developed the most comprehensive study to-date of the structure, subsidies, and ownership networks of China’s maritime militia in the South China Sea, as well as a methodology for others to continue the effort."
        Mr. Gregory B. Poling
        "Technology is playing an increasingly important role in maritime security, not only by making defense/offense capabilities more sophisticated, but also by providing an opportunity for maritime states to have a comprehensive understanding over their critical adjacent environment. For small states, it is essential to strengthen their maritime domain awarness by wisely investing in the right technologies, proactively cooperating with potential partners and widening the network of like-minded states, and utilizing all the necessary resources, be it public or private, to laid out a suitable technology development strategy for the maritime domain."
        Mr. Nguyen The Phuong
        The USS Connecticut Oct. 2 incident damaged transparency in the SCS and posed threat to regional peace and stability. Withholding information from the U.S. testified the fact that the U.S. has been conducting secret operations under the cover of “freedom of navigation”.   The potential joining by Australia acquired nuclear submarine with U.S. sub fleet further increase risks of sub-on-sub collision in already treacherous waters in the SCS. The collision of nuclear subs will not only increase danger of armed conflict at sea but also damage the marine environment in the SCS as a result of nuclear leak, which will have a huge irreversible devastating impact upon life and economy of all SCS littoral states.   While the U.S. extol America’s role as a “stabilising force” in the Asia-Pacific, hundreds of thousands of civilian and military lives have been lost in the US-led war in Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Korean peninsula, which were totally humanitarian catastrophes for Asian people since the aftermath of those wars could not be easily felt by the U.S. which is on the other side of Atlantic.
        Captain Shichen Tian (Retd)
        Previous
        Next

        Quotes

        “Over the last decade, China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has increasingly caused concern among its regional neighbors as well as extra-regional states, to include Australia, India, Japan, and the US. Thrilled to be offering my thoughts on all of this @SCSconference”
        “Over the last decade, China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has increasingly caused concern among its regional neighbors as well as extra-regional states, to include Australia, India, Japan, and the US. Thrilled to be offering my thoughts on all of this @SCSconference”
        "The South China Sea is a complex issue driven by increasing entanglement between sovereignty dispute, resource interest, nationalism, and the ambition to gain supremacy, and it is compounded by the militarization and the intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China. Within the context of a VUCA South China Sea, ASEAN- although its unity and centrality are under strain- still have a critical role to play in continuously promoting dialogues and trust building, maintaining the norms and conditions for peaceful settlement of the dispute."
        "The South China Sea is a complex issue driven by increasing entanglement between sovereignty dispute, resource interest, nationalism, and the ambition to gain supremacy, and it is compounded by the militarization and the intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China. Within the context of a VUCA South China Sea, ASEAN- although its unity and centrality are under strain- still have a critical role to play in continuously promoting dialogues and trust building, maintaining the norms and conditions for peaceful settlement of the dispute."
        "The situation in the South China Sea is increasingly complex, volatile, and fragile. The wise choice for regional countries to make the pie of common interests bigger, hedge against destabilizing factors through cooperation."
        "The situation in the South China Sea is increasingly complex, volatile, and fragile. The wise choice for regional countries to make the pie of common interests bigger, hedge against destabilizing factors through cooperation."
        "We are approaching the most serious crucial point in history whether to make the South China Sea a China's monopolistic yard or a Human's Common for everybody."
        "We are approaching the most serious crucial point in history whether to make the South China Sea a China's monopolistic yard or a Human's Common for everybody."
        "Real marine S&T cooperation contributes to building confidence of the Parties, to maintaining the peace and to reducing tentions in the SCS !"
        "Real marine S&T cooperation contributes to building confidence of the Parties, to maintaining the peace and to reducing tentions in the SCS !"
        "Strengthening trans-boundary cooperation in marine sciences, coral reef ecosystems and climate change research among the countries will be an important task and poses a challenge to the sustainability of the South China Sea."
        "Strengthening trans-boundary cooperation in marine sciences, coral reef ecosystems and climate change research among the countries will be an important task and poses a challenge to the sustainability of the South China Sea."
        "Technology is playing an increasingly important role in maritime security, not only by making defense/offense capabilities more sophisticated, but also by providing an opportunity for maritime states to have a comprehensive understanding over their critical adjacent environment. For small states, it is essential to strengthen their maritime domain awarness by wisely investing in the right technologies, proactively cooperating with potential partners and widening the network of like-minded states, and utilizing all the necessary resources, be it public or private, to laid out a suitable technology development strategy for the maritime domain."
        "Technology is playing an increasingly important role in maritime security, not only by making defense/offense capabilities more sophisticated, but also by providing an opportunity for maritime states to have a comprehensive understanding over their critical adjacent environment. For small states, it is essential to strengthen their maritime domain awarness by wisely investing in the right technologies, proactively cooperating with potential partners and widening the network of like-minded states, and utilizing all the necessary resources, be it public or private, to laid out a suitable technology development strategy for the maritime domain."
        "Using remote sensing data and open source analysis, CSIS and C4ADS have developed the most comprehensive study to-date of the structure, subsidies, and ownership networks of China’s maritime militia in the South China Sea, as well as a methodology for others to continue the effort."
        "Using remote sensing data and open source analysis, CSIS and C4ADS have developed the most comprehensive study to-date of the structure, subsidies, and ownership networks of China’s maritime militia in the South China Sea, as well as a methodology for others to continue the effort."
        "Chinese officials denied ownership or responsibility for the Paracel Islands until the twentieth century."
        "Chinese officials denied ownership or responsibility for the Paracel Islands until the twentieth century."
        "Peaceful resolution of the South China Sea dispute is vital to peace and stability of the region. Understanding China's intentions from a historical perspective is key to bridge the gap of perception."
        "Peaceful resolution of the South China Sea dispute is vital to peace and stability of the region. Understanding China's intentions from a historical perspective is key to bridge the gap of perception."
        “To ease the supply chain disruptions, all pertinent stakeholders need to make efforts towards improving the global logistics infrastructure. To achieve stability and promote sustainable trade growth, there needs to be a considerable focus on enhancing the reliability of the logistics network by making processes much more transparent. Faster adoption of digital operations by all players in the sea-borne trade market should be a step in the right direction.”
        “To ease the supply chain disruptions, all pertinent stakeholders need to make efforts towards improving the global logistics infrastructure. To achieve stability and promote sustainable trade growth, there needs to be a considerable focus on enhancing the reliability of the logistics network by making processes much more transparent. Faster adoption of digital operations by all players in the sea-borne trade market should be a step in the right direction.”
        “As business complexity increases, as a result for example of the climate crisis, we need a fundamental rethinking of the principle governing global supply chains, to ensure that the system responds to the needs of a global society and is better prepared for the future.”
        “As business complexity increases, as a result for example of the climate crisis, we need a fundamental rethinking of the principle governing global supply chains, to ensure that the system responds to the needs of a global society and is better prepared for the future.”
        "There is a natural convergence between the ASEAN and the Quad when it comes to their visions about regional architectures in the Indo-Pacific. All the four Quad nations have kept ASEAN centrality at the core of their vision about regional architecture. This natural convergence between the ASEAN and Quad should help in shaping a new regional order."
        "There is a natural convergence between the ASEAN and the Quad when it comes to their visions about regional architectures in the Indo-Pacific. All the four Quad nations have kept ASEAN centrality at the core of their vision about regional architecture. This natural convergence between the ASEAN and Quad should help in shaping a new regional order."
        "Looking Forward: Technology To Compel Compliance"
        "Looking Forward: Technology To Compel Compliance"
        "The journey of Japan with the Paracels and Spratlys was somewhat similar to the story of many couples today. It grew quick, ended fast and with a divorce agreement in between"
        "The journey of Japan with the Paracels and Spratlys was somewhat similar to the story of many couples today. It grew quick, ended fast and with a divorce agreement in between"
        "As a response to the competition to shape the region’s institutional design and character, this paper finds that regional stakeholders including Japan, Australia, India, the US and the EU are investing in a layered approach to institution building in the region that includes trade, diplomatic, security, and development pillars to enhance strategic autonomy of Southeast Asian states by anchoring an increasing number of stakeholders to the region that can contribute to institutional and rule-based regionalism."
        "As a response to the competition to shape the region’s institutional design and character, this paper finds that regional stakeholders including Japan, Australia, India, the US and the EU are investing in a layered approach to institution building in the region that includes trade, diplomatic, security, and development pillars to enhance strategic autonomy of Southeast Asian states by anchoring an increasing number of stakeholders to the region that can contribute to institutional and rule-based regionalism."
        The USS Connecticut Oct. 2 incident damaged transparency in the SCS and posed threat to regional peace and stability. Withholding information from the U.S. testified the fact that the U.S. has been conducting secret operations under the cover of “freedom of navigation”.   The potential joining by Australia acquired nuclear submarine with U.S. sub fleet further increase risks of sub-on-sub collision in already treacherous waters in the SCS. The collision of nuclear subs will not only increase danger of armed conflict at sea but also damage the marine environment in the SCS as a result of nuclear leak, which will have a huge irreversible devastating impact upon life and economy of all SCS littoral states.   While the U.S. extol America’s role as a “stabilising force” in the Asia-Pacific, hundreds of thousands of civilian and military lives have been lost in the US-led war in Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Korean peninsula, which were totally humanitarian catastrophes for Asian people since the aftermath of those wars could not be easily felt by the U.S. which is on the other side of Atlantic.
        The USS Connecticut Oct. 2 incident damaged transparency in the SCS and posed threat to regional peace and stability. Withholding information from the U.S. testified the fact that the U.S. has been conducting secret operations under the cover of “freedom of navigation”.   The potential joining by Australia acquired nuclear submarine with U.S. sub fleet further increase risks of sub-on-sub collision in already treacherous waters in the SCS. The collision of nuclear subs will not only increase danger of armed conflict at sea but also damage the marine environment in the SCS as a result of nuclear leak, which will have a huge irreversible devastating impact upon life and economy of all SCS littoral states.   While the U.S. extol America’s role as a “stabilising force” in the Asia-Pacific, hundreds of thousands of civilian and military lives have been lost in the US-led war in Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Korean peninsula, which were totally humanitarian catastrophes for Asian people since the aftermath of those wars could not be easily felt by the U.S. which is on the other side of Atlantic.
        "As Sino-US rivalry become more intense, ASEAN faces multiple challenges. The strengthening of US-centred security partnership in Indo-Pacific, manifested among others in the growing role of the QUAD, constitutes one such challenge with three possible consequences for ASEAN. First, as extra-regional powers began to formulate their own responses to great power politics, ASEAN is under increasing pressure to prove its relevance in the emerging regional order. Second, as ASEAN member states will increasingly feel the pressure to take side, unity and strategic autonomy will be undermined. Third, as power politics has clearly exposed the limits of ASEAN’s over-reliance on normative approach to manage great powers competition, the future of ASEAN’s centrality is at stake. ASEAN would be able to withstand the challenges of maintaining centrality and preserving strategic autonomy if the grouping sees the QUAD as complementing instead of competing with the ASEAN-centred regional processes. This, however, must be done in a manner consistent with the ASEAN’s own outlook on Indo-Pacific which emphasises the importance of inclusivity as an important element of emerging regional order."
        "As Sino-US rivalry become more intense, ASEAN faces multiple challenges. The strengthening of US-centred security partnership in Indo-Pacific, manifested among others in the growing role of the QUAD, constitutes one such challenge with three possible consequences for ASEAN. First, as extra-regional powers began to formulate their own responses to great power politics, ASEAN is under increasing pressure to prove its relevance in the emerging regional order. Second, as ASEAN member states will increasingly feel the pressure to take side, unity and strategic autonomy will be undermined. Third, as power politics has clearly exposed the limits of ASEAN’s over-reliance on normative approach to manage great powers competition, the future of ASEAN’s centrality is at stake. ASEAN would be able to withstand the challenges of maintaining centrality and preserving strategic autonomy if the grouping sees the QUAD as complementing instead of competing with the ASEAN-centred regional processes. This, however, must be done in a manner consistent with the ASEAN’s own outlook on Indo-Pacific which emphasises the importance of inclusivity as an important element of emerging regional order."
        “Without Rules, Nothing Can Be Done.”
        “Without Rules, Nothing Can Be Done.”
        "The South China Sea has been a oceanscape of great historical abundance and the regional States hold the key to its future abundance. The choice to be made will be whether States can move from a path of recurring conflict to a path of sustained cooperation for South China Sea ecological restoration. "
        "The South China Sea has been a oceanscape of great historical abundance and the regional States hold the key to its future abundance. The choice to be made will be whether States can move from a path of recurring conflict to a path of sustained cooperation for South China Sea ecological restoration. "
        "Scientific Cooperation as a gateway for domination?"
        "Scientific Cooperation as a gateway for domination?"
        “Short- and longer-term action is required to address supply-chain stress and resilience. The immediate priority is to resolve the public-health problems that are impeding the manufacture and movement of goods. Especially urgent is the need to ensure the safety of workers along supply chains, including maritime crew and port personnel. Longer term, businesses, governments, and healthcare sectors have to understand what “resilience” means in terms of commercial, public-health and strategic risk management. Multilateral cooperation will be necessary.”
        “Short- and longer-term action is required to address supply-chain stress and resilience. The immediate priority is to resolve the public-health problems that are impeding the manufacture and movement of goods. Especially urgent is the need to ensure the safety of workers along supply chains, including maritime crew and port personnel. Longer term, businesses, governments, and healthcare sectors have to understand what “resilience” means in terms of commercial, public-health and strategic risk management. Multilateral cooperation will be necessary.”
        “To facilitate the recovery of manufacturing activities in ASEAN countries and China, ASEAN-China supply chain links which have been hurt during the Covid-19 pandemic need to be revived. Logistical connectivity will continue to be an important basis for regional economic cooperation in the time to come.”
        “To facilitate the recovery of manufacturing activities in ASEAN countries and China, ASEAN-China supply chain links which have been hurt during the Covid-19 pandemic need to be revived. Logistical connectivity will continue to be an important basis for regional economic cooperation in the time to come.”
        “Enhancing supply chain resiliency in the interest of economic security is one of the key lessons learned from the global pandemic. It also has made clear the strategic importance of Southeast Asia, and the need to not only deepen existing ties, but also develop new networks to ensure economic stability worldwide.”
        “Enhancing supply chain resiliency in the interest of economic security is one of the key lessons learned from the global pandemic. It also has made clear the strategic importance of Southeast Asia, and the need to not only deepen existing ties, but also develop new networks to ensure economic stability worldwide.”
        "The Quad is a permanent fixture of the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. It is entirely focused on coordinating whole-of-government responses to major non-traditional security issues such as pandemics, climate change, disruptive technologies and quality infrastructure."
        "The Quad is a permanent fixture of the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. It is entirely focused on coordinating whole-of-government responses to major non-traditional security issues such as pandemics, climate change, disruptive technologies and quality infrastructure."
        Previous
        Next
        keynote speakers
        ses1
        ses2
        ses3
        session 4
        ses5
        ses6
        ses7
        ses8
        Previous
        Next

        The 13th Conference

          EU Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti joined as the moderator for the 1st session on “The South China Sea in a shifting landscape", reflecting developments in the South China Sea over the past years and great interests in peace, stability and order in the sea.

            Great discussions at 13th South China Sea Int. Conference #SCSC13. The pandemic is an opportunity for ASEAN economies as companies diversify their sourcing. A recurring theme: how to rebuild a more sustainable global trade system

              Honored to have chaired this morning a great panel at #SCSC13 Diplomatic Academy of #Vietnam on #SouthChinaSea with @DerekJGrossman @chheangcam @DingDuo1 @nagystephen1 and V.Adm. Hoda - Diverging views but civilized tones #opendialogue

                Date 2 #SCSC13 - Session 5: ASEAN and emerging mini-lateral groupings in the evolving regional architecture With prominent speakers: Amb. Igor Driesman, Dr. Rizal Sukma, Prof. Carl Thayer

                  We're pleased to again partner with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam for this year’s South China Sea Conference #SCSC13, where NZ’s @JoannaMossop (Associate Prof and Law of the Sea expert from @WellingtonUni ) will be speaking.

                  Our Partners