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Dialogue could help build trust in South China Sea: Official
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A sandbar too far: One of the three sandbars between Pagasa and Philippine-claimed but China-controlled Zamora Reef in the South China Sea. (AFP/-)
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nformal dialogues, often referred to as second-track diplomacy, could help build trust and eventually promote conflict resolution in the disputed South China Sea, a Foreign Ministry official has said.
The ministry and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies recently hosted a seminar on managing potential conflict in the South China Sea. About 54 experts from countries along the South China Sea rim participated in the event on Sept. 10 to 12 in Batam, Riau Islands. It was the 29th seminar since they were first held in 1990.
“This kind of attempt to resolve the South China Sea issue through second-track diplomacy is easier to do because it builds trust among us," the head of the Foreign Ministry's policy analysis and development agency, Siswo Pramono, said recently.
The South China Sea, where four ASEAN countries — Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam — are at odds with China, has economic potential that, according to Siswo, could also be turned into an opportunity for economic cooperation to help resolve the territorial disputes.
"This is what everyone should understand -- do we want conflicts that continue to hamper the economy or do we want to work together while resolving conflicts peacefully?" Siswo said.
Hasjim Djalal from the Center for Southeast Asian Studies said such an informal dialogue has helped create a better understanding of the South China Sea issue.
"Through dialogue we understand the views of others while others also understand our perspectives," he said, adding that although experts from Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam attended the event in their individual capacities, they could help give input to conflict resolution.
