Fifth Ocean Dialogue discusses ASEAN cooperation in East Sea

• Moscow workshop seeks solutions to East Sea disputes
• ASEAN, China committed to completing COC in East Sea

The event brought together over 70 delegates from foreign agencies and international organizations, Vietnamese Ministries and agencies, along with experts and scholars researching on ASEAN and East Sea.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Peter Girke, Head of the KAS Office in Vietnam said that, the fifth Ocean Dialogue is the next activity organized within a series of dialogues on the East Sea over the past two years.

According to Mr. Peter Girke, conflicts have created huge challenge to stable peace in the region over the years. Undeniably, Southeast Asian countries still have different views and interests, as well as different approaches to resolving disputes in the East Sea. Against this context, ASEAN still strives to maintain and affirm its desire to play a central role in regional issues.

Therefore, the fifth Ocean Dialogue would be an opportunity for domestic and international scholars and researchers to discuss and suggest possible and practical solutions to help ASEAN affirm its central role and handle regional security threats.

In addition, the dialogue will discuss regional-related major issues such as the US-China trade war and how ASEAN can shape and affirm its position in that conflict. Delegates of the dialogue also expected that the negotiation process on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) will be finalized when Vietnam takes a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council..

Within the framework of the dialogue, delegates also discussed a strategy which helps promote ASEAN cooperation, shape ASEAN priorities, seek consensus on regional issues and build trust among ASEAN countries through the settlement of less sensitive issues such as environmental pollution and fish resources reduction.