East Sea post-ruling to see complex developments

November 30, 2016 - 10:22

Scholars anticipated that the East Sea (South China Sea) dispute will continue to witness complex developments as China not only rejected the July 12 ruling but also escalated further tensions with the militarisation of its artificial islands.

Vietnamese and South Korean scholars attends a workshop on the East Sea dispute in Gwangju, South Korea yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Duy

GWANGJU, South Korea — Scholars anticipated that the East Sea (South China Sea) dispute will continue to witness complex developments as China not only rejected the July 12 ruling but also escalated further tensions with the militarisation of its artificial islands.

Vietnamese and South Korean scholars, attending a workshop focusing on the East Sea dispute, also believe that the outlook of the dispute in the future will mostly depend on China’s activities and the United States attitudes after US President-elect Donald Trump officially comes into office in January.

The international workshop, co-hosted by the Korean Association of Vietnamese Studies and the Institute of International Cultural Studies of the Chosun University in Gwangju, South Korea yesterday, brought together over 50 experts and scholars from Việt Nam and South Korea and students from the Chosun University.

An exhibition displaying nearly 50 ancient maps depicting the East Sea and photos of shoals, reefs and rocks in the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) Islands was held on the sidelines of the workshop. The photos showed Beijing’s island reclamations and its militarisation activities as well as their impacts on regional security, maritime freedom and marine environment. – VNS

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