First update: The second panel features experts from South China Sea claimant countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and China
MANILA, Philippines – Government officials, foreign policy experts, and key decision makers from across Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific gather in the Philippines for The Manila Dialogue on the South China Sea from November 6 to 8.
The event was convened by Philippine government agencies (National Security Council-Philippines, the West Philippine Sea Transparency Office, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Information Agency, and the Presidential Communications Office) as well as international and local institutions (Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Asia Maritime Index-Tokyo International University, the Pacific Forum Maritime Security Program, Yokosuka Council on Asia Pacific Studies-YCAPS, Ateneo Policy Center, ADR Institute-Stratbase, the University of the Philippines-Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, and the Local Government Development Institute).
It aims to be an “annual Track 1.5 process focusing on promoting adherence to international law and identifying sound, pragmatic, and actionable policy prescriptions for littoral states surrounding the South China Sea, as well as other interested state and non-state actors.”
The Philippines has been among the loudest and most prominent states in talks on tensions in the South China Sea — especially in a portion Manila calls the West Philippine Sea (WPS), which includes the country’s exclusive economic zone. China claims almost all of the South China Sea on its own and has used intimidation and even violence to try to stop Philippine vessels from performing missions in the WPS.
Rappler will be streaming select panels of the forum. Bookmark this page to watch the panels live or to catch them on demand. – Rappler.com
Panel 1: Coast Guard as Guardians of the Rule of Law at Sea
