Vietnam rejects all contents of the statement made by the Chinese spokesperson on sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on November 8.

The tension in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) in 2017 is considered lower than in previous years. The Chairman’s statement of the 31st ASEAN Summit on November 13, 2017, took note of the improving relations between ASEAN and China in relation to the South China Sea matter. How should this improvement be explained? What are main factors affecting that improvement? Are the South China Sea disputes being managed? To answer those questions, the main events into this region must be taken in consideration.

International experts and scholars at the eighth International Conference on the East Sea have forecast that the situation in the waters will remain stable in the near future although the year 2016 witnessed significant changes to the status quo in the region.

On July 12, 2016, the Arbitral Tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea issued the Award on the merits of the legal case filed by the Republic of the Philippines against the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea.

On October 29, 2015, the Arbitral Tribunal (the Tribunal) constituted under Annex VII to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the Convention) to settle the East Sea (West Philippines Sea (WPS) by Filippinos)-related case filed by the Republic of the Philippines (the Philippines) against the People’s Republic of China (China), issued an Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility.

Vietnam will keep a close watch on the process of the East Sea-related case filed by the Philippines and reserves the right to use all suitable and necessary peaceful measures to protect its lawful rights and interests in the East Sea, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh.

Vietnam will keep a close watch on the process of the East Sea-related case filed by the Philippines and reserves the right to use all suitable and necessary peaceful measures to protect its lawful rights and interests in the East Sea, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh.

The way in which rising powers like China interact with international institutions and laws produces and expressees imaginaries. They can also turn into a referent object or an arena for the collective rearticulating of underlying values, visions and hopes. In other words, this approach is close to the understanding that the new normative order in East Asia has been constructed.

Excerpts from the paper prepared for the 5th International Workshop: “The South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development” organized by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Vietnam Lawyers Association in Hanoi, 10-12 November 2013