International experts have pointed out the benefits of playing by the rules in the East Vietnam Sea while exposing a Chinese conspiracy in the maritime area.

During an international workshop on the ‘Legal Status of Islands and Rocks under International Law and Practice in the East Vietnam Sea,’ scheduled for August 16 to18 in the south-central Vietnamese city of Nha Trang, domestic and global academics discussed different aspects relating to a recent ruling of the arbitration tribunal in The Hague regarding the maritime territory.

On July 12, judges at the tribunal, established under annex VII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), rejected China's claims to economic rights across large swathes of the East Vietnam Sea in a lawsuit brought by the Philippines.

Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Quy Binh, an arbitrator for the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, former Ambassador of Vietnam to the UN, and former vice-chairman of the National Border Commission, considered the ruling an opportunity to assess Vietnam’s interests.

Complying with UNCLOS will be of great benefit to Vietnam and lead to stronger support from the international community, securing a more advantageous position in negotiations with China, Binh elaborated.

According to the expert, oil and gas resources in the maritime area are located primarily in the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

He suggested that Hanoi adjust its law in favor of protecting the interests of the EEZ in a bid to minimize disputes in the East Vietnam Sea.

The tribunal’s conclusion regarding the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago does not affect Vietnam’s authority over its islands, Binh asserted, adding that Vietnam will provide better security for the interests of the Southeast Asian country and other nations, including freedom of navigation and aviation, and the rights of Vietnamese fishermen to operate in the area.

China’s scheme

According to Shekhar Dutt, former National Security Advisor and Defense Secretary of India, China has not respected treaties reached with other nations in its approach, affecting the preservation of peace and stability.

He called on the international community to coordinate their opposition to Beijing’s activities in order to restore the status quo, adding that the United States and other powers should also put more pressure on China.

China can force most ASEAN member states to cooperate but will never build the image of a friendly nation, Dutt affirmed.

He recommended that ASEAN focus on urging China to sign a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Vietnam Sea.

Dutt also warned that Beijing could use its influence and economic relations to separate members of the bloc, thus a COC might never be realized.

ASEAN is short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which is a political and economic organization whose members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

On the sidelines of the workshop, Professor Amy Searight, senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that all relevant nations should back the decision of the tribunal and form a united voice.

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