Over 120 experts, scholars and representatives from nearly diplomatic missions in Vietnam including the United Nations, the UK, Australia, France, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines gathered in a conference in Hanoi on December 4 to raise their voices about issues in the East Sea. 
International experts at the conference on Dec 4. Photo: Zing.vn
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The whole region must be responsible for keeping maritime peace and security in the East Sea, and related countries, mostly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), need to make efforts to maintain the situation, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick said. He stressed the pursuit of non-violent measures and the protection of disadvantaged nations in solving sea disputes.
Meanwhile, Steph Lysaght, deputy head of mission at the UK Embassy in Hanoi, emphasized the need to improve acknowledgement of maritime security and the freedom of maritime and flight navigation in global trade.
The experts talked about the importance of the enforcement of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), the training courses on international laws on sea, and the trilateral and multilateral cooperation.
This is the third event of its kind held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Diplomatic Academy in an effort to maintain stability in the East Sea.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated that 60% of international maritime shipment navigates through Asia, with the East Sea carrying an estimated one-third of global shipping. In addition, more than 30% of global maritime crude oil moves through the East Sea annually, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
