March 25-26, 2017
On 25-26 March 2017, the CSARC and the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) held the South China Sea-themed sub-forum as part of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference (2017), bringing together nearly 100 scholars and experts from over ten countries and regions. The sub-forum was divided into closed-door and open-door sessions.
This sub-forum was themed “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and Common Development of the Greater South China Sea Region”, and included three panels, namely: “South China Sea: what’s happening and what’s next”, “21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and connectivity of development strategies among South China Sea States: challenges and opportunities”, and “Functional cooperation under the DOC framework & cooperation mechanisms in enclosed and semi-enclosed sea: existing practices and applicable approaches for the South China Sea”. The exchanges and discussions brought about positive consensuses and constructive opinions.
The participants agreed that the South China Sea situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, has become a hot spot in the international community, and is an increasingly important factor influencing regional security situation. Therefore, it is necessary for the parties concerned to make further efforts to build consensuses, dispel misgivings, strengthen dialogues and exchanges, accommodate each other’s interests and concerns, and promote pragmatic maritime cooperation. Now it is the right time to build the 21st-Century maritime silk road and establish cooperation mechanisms in the greater South China Sea region. As a pragmatic and effective dialogue, this conference is believed to play a positive and important role in stabilizing the South China Sea, promoting cooperation and bolstering mutual trust.
The South China Sea Sub-forum is an institutionalized session of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference. It 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. The CSARC was inaugurated at the Sub-forum 2016, and started to co-host the event since 2017.
