It focused on the history of the East Sea disputes, the geopolitical situation of the East Sea, and legal issues regarding the disputes. It attracted experts on the East Sea issue from research institutes and universities in the US, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and Australia.
They cited many old documents and maps, including those made by China, regional countries and westerners who travelled across the waters, which testify to the reverse of what China claims in the East Sea.
They said China has developed military forces able to control the first chain of islands in the East Sea. Its artificial islands can serve as logistics bases for activities of its fishermen and law enforcement bodies.
The specialists warned that China is enhancing the use of commercial fishing boats, and ships of the law enforcement force with a view to changing the status quo in the East Sea.
It is also using maritime militia who can act as an unofficial naval force when armed conflicts arise, the scholars said.
At the workshop, 14 speeches analysed legal aspects of territorial disputes in the East Sea and suggested solutions to disputes, by using the diplomatic channel and basing on international law.
As part of the workshop, the organisers displayed books on Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea and old maps proving Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes having belonged to Vietnam for many centuries.
