On 12th June, China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea (CSARC) held an online roundtable themed the “Crisis Aversion: Risk Management in the South China Sea” in collaboration with NISCSS and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia. More than 20 scholars and experts from the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Malaysia), Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Nanjing University and Peking University. In-depth discussions were held on topics of “Latest Developments in the South China Sea amid COVID-19”and “Risk Management and Future Cooperation in the South China Sea”. During the roundtable, experts were engaged in some conversations on issues such as China – Philippines Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM), the United States’ military presence in the South China Sea, Code of Conduct (COC) Consultations and regional economic cooperation.
NISCSS President and CSARC Chairman of the Board Dr. Wu Shicun, along with CSIS Vice Chairman of the Board and CSARC Vice Chairman of the Board Mr. Jusuf Wanandi delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony. Dr. Wu pointed out that, the extra-regional countries led by the United States have strengthened military presence in the South China Sea since 2020. At the same time, unilateral actions of various claimant states have been intensified, which would hinder future cooperation among the relevant littoral states, and the South China Sea situation could be headed down a rocky path. More confidence-building measures and joint efforts between China and ASEAN countries will be the key to avoiding future risks and producing long-term regional peace and stability.
 

On 29 November 2019, the 7th Board Meeting of the China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea (CSARC) was held in Bali, Indonesia. Board members and representatives of CSARC member organizations from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines attended the meeting. Dr. Wu Shichun, NISCSS President and Chairman of CSARC Board of Directors, chaired the meeting.

The Board reviewed the CSARC projects and events in the past eight months, and discussed the work plan for the coming year. The Board decided that the CSARC would continue to co-organize the annual regular program and special program on Maritime Law Enforcement under the framework of China-ASEAN Academy on Ocean Law and Governance. The board also agreed on the follow-up work of the Workshop on Regional Cooperation on Marine Environmental Protection in the South China Sea, such as to publish the workshop proceedings and a volume of workshop papers. Additionally, the board reached consensus on the expansion of both organization and individual members of the CSARC, future working agenda on marine environmental protection, and the update mechanism for the official website to be launched in 2020.

On 11 November 2019, the 5th program of China-ASEAN Academy on Ocean Law and Governance kicked off in Haikou, China.

The Academy is co-organized by the CSARC, the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), and International Ocean Institute-Canada (IOI-Canada). The ten-day program covers a variety of subjects which are common concern in the region of South China Sea, such as the law of the sea, maritime security, marine ecological preservation and restoration, integrated coastal and ocean management, climate change and adaption, international shipping, and ports and connectivity. The courses taught all in English by eleven prominent scholars and experts from China, Canada, Japan and the Philippines. The program of this year brings together 30 participants from ocean-related government agencies, universities and research institutes of China and ASEAN countries as well as observers from South Korea and the Taiwan region. The program is mainly course based, yet also includes simulation exercises, group discussion, team work and field trips to research institutes and ocean-related agencies including the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Hainan Maritime Safety Administration, so as to have a better understanding of practices of maritime law enforcement, maritime safety management, marine scientific research, deep-sea engineering technology, and relevant experiences and practice of international cooperation in Hainan.

Ms. Li Jianwei, Research Fellow of the Center for Maritime Economy at the NISCSS, Dr. Rommel C. Banlaoi, President of the Philippines Association for Chinese Studies & Member of the Board of the CSARC, and Prof. Michael Bulter, Director of the International Ocean Institute – Canada delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony as representatives from the organizers and speakers. Ms. Li welcomed all participants on behalf of NISCSS President Wu Shicun. She also encouraged participants to make full use of the program to enhance their wealth of knowledge on ocean governance and mutual understanding among themselves. Dr. Banlaoi hopes that this program would not only participants in strengthening their personal confidence as a professional, but also their confidence in participants from other countries as members of a community of South China Sea governance. Prof. Butler pointed out that ocean governance is facing various difficult challenges worldwide. This program is designed not only to enhance knowledge and experience sharing between speakers and participants, and among participants themselves, but also to promote long-term friendship on the alumni as well as passion and commitment, so as to promote pragmatic cooperation on ocean related issues.

On 21 October 2019, the first Program on Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) of China-ASEAN Academy on Ocean Law and Governance was launched in Haikou, China. The program is co-organized by the CSARC and the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), and supported by the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security (ANCORS) of the University of Wollongong.

Counselor Sun Lushan from the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the opening ceremony of the program, and delivered a keynote speech. He briefly introduced China’s ocean policy, with emphasis on the concept of building a community of a shared future and the initiative of 21st Century Maritime Silkroad. And he highlighted that the pragmatic cooperation between China and ASEAN countries on ocean affairs is an essential part of their strategic partnership. Regarding the South China Sea, he pointed out that cooperation has been pushed forward in various fields under the framework of Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Especially, cooperation in MLE has made substantive progress. Sun also clarified China’s position as well as policy approaches and objectives in the South China Sea. He emphasized that the peace and stability of the South China Sea is closely related to the security, development and wellbeing of its coastal communities. Parties related should work together to further promote mutual understanding, accumulate political trust, properly manage differences, seek for win-win cooperation and common development, so as to pave the way for the final settlement of the dispute. In this sense, this MLE program has provided a timely and excellent opportunity for participating countries to enhance cooperation in relevant fields. Participants could take full advantage of this program to intensify their exchanges of views and opinions, make in-depth study of relevant laws and regulations, to learn and benefit from each other’s experiences, expertise, and good practice, and jointly seek for practical solutions to the existing problems and disputes. On the one hand, China and relevant countries should take advantage of existing dialogues and mechanisms to enrich existing channels, strengthen cooperation in MLE, substantiate cooperation content, expedite regulatory and platform construction, and to raise cooperation level to a new height. On the other hand, relevant countries need to further concentrate on cooperation, enhance capability building, and create a relatively stable and favorable legal framework to build peaceful, stable and prosperous oceans.

Mr. Yang Li, Assistant President and Director of Research Center for Maritime Economy of NISCSS and Professor Warwick Gullett from ANCORS also delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony on behalf of the organizers and speakers respectively.

On 30 March 2019, the 6th Board Meeting of the CSARC was held in Boao, China. Board members and representatives of CSARC member organizations from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia attended the meeting. Dr. Wu Shichun, NISCSS President and chairman of CSARC Board of Directors, chaired the meeting.

The Board reviewed research projects and events in the past year, and discussed the work plan for 2019-2020. The meeting decided that the CSARC would continue to co-organize the program of China-ASEAN Academy on Ocean Law and Governance, and to promote international cruise tourism cooperation and conduct related research projects. The board also agreed on the plans to initiate the Workshop on Regional Cooperation on Marine Environmental Protection in the South China Sea and the training program for Maritime Law Enforcement Officers of China and ASEAN countries.

On 12 November 2018, the 4th program of China-ASEAN Academy on Ocean Law and Governance kicked off in Haikou, China.

The Academy is co-organized by the CSARC, the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), the International Ocean Institute-Canada (IOI-Canada) and the Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies of Wuhan University. The program covers a variety of subjects, such as the law of the sea, marine science, blue economy, climate change and adaption, marine environmental protection and preservation, biological restoration and sustainable development, and transdisciplinary approach to ocean governance. The courses are taught all in English by thirteen prominent scholars and experts from China, Canada, Japan and the United States. The program of this year brings together over 30 participants from ocean-related government agencies, research institutes and think tanks of China and ASEAN countries as well as South Korea, Micronesia and the Taiwan region.

The 10-day program is mainly course based, yet also includes simulation exercises, group reports, and field trips to ocean-related agencies and business entities including Hainan Maritime Safety Administration and Haifeng Aquaculture Ltd,, so as to have a better understanding of practices of law enforcement, management and international cooperation in the field of maritime safety as well as the development of marine industry in Hainan.

Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee, Senior Research Fellow of IOI-Canada and Dr. Hong Nong, Director of the Research Center for Oceans Law and Policy at the NISCSS delivered welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony on behalf of organizers and program speakers.

On 11 April 2018, the 5^th South China Sea Sub-forum of Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 was held in Boao, Hainan. Themed as “21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Economic Cooperation of the Greater South China Sea”, it was co-organized by the the CSARC and the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS). It brought together nearly one hundred eminent scholars and practitioners from various government agencies, think tanks, research institutes and maritime industries of both littoral countries of the South China Sea and extra-regional nations including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, India, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The open-door session of the sub-forum was chaired by Ms. Fu Ying, Chair of Academic Committee of the National Institute for Global Strategy of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Mr. Yi Xianliang, Director-General of Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony. Panel speakers include Dr. Wu Shicun, Chairman of CSARC and President of NISCSS; Mr. Jusuf Wanandi, Vice Chairman of CSARC and Vice Chair of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia; Prof. Zheng Yongnian, director of East Asian Institute of National University of Singapore; Mr. Oh Ei Sun, senior advisor of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute of Malaysia and former political secretary of Malaysian Prime Minister; and Dr. Paul Gewirtz, Director of Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center, among others.

Dr. Wu Shicun stated in his speech that although the stability of the South China Sea has largely held over recent years, uncertainties and variables that could lead to a resumption of regional tensions still remain. The consultation and negotiation of the code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea is making progress in building a set of regional rules accepted by all littoral states; while an economic cooperation framework of the greater South China Sea is also needed to foster stronger bonds among regional countries and their common development and prosperity. Parallel measures of rule-making and building cooperative mechanisms will also be conducive to achieve lasting peace of the South China Sea and to establish a China-ASEAN community of shared interests, shared responsibilities and a shared future.

As an institutionalized session of BFA annual conference, the South China Sea Sub-forum is a high-profile multilateral dialogue platform to pool wisdom and provide constructive ideas to enhance regional peace, stability, prosperity and maritime cooperation of the South China Sea.

On 8 December 2017, CSARC held its 4th Meeting of the Board of Directors in Haikou. Present at the meeting were CSARC Board Members as well as Research Fellows of member institutes from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.

As the chairman of the CSARC Board of Directors, Dr. Wu Shicun, chaired the meeting, and reviewed what CSARC has achieved in 2017. Board members also exchanged their ideas on the future work plan of CSARC.