Participants in the webinar on July 9 (Photo: VNA)

Berlin (VNA) – International scholars taking part ina July 9 webinar highlighted the significance of the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Permanent Court ofArbitration (PCA)’s ruling in the settlement of the East Sea issue.

The fourth workshop on the East Sea, internationally known asthe South China Sea, was held by the Asia - Africa Institute at the Hamburg Universityof Germany on the occasion of the five years since the PCA, based in The Hague(the Netherlands), issued a verdict relevant to the waters on July 12, 2016.

Prof. Thomas Engelbert from the Hamburg University notedsince the ruling issuance, the situation in the East Sea has continued towitness tense developments with continuous violations of international law, prompting many countries to voice objections.

Meanwhile, negotiations on a code of conduct in the EastSea (COC) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Chinahave yet to finish, he pointed out.

Earlier this year, Japan sent a diplomatic note to the UN toreject China’ claims of sovereignty in the East Sea. Others like the US, theUK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, thePhilippines, and Vietnam have also released statements about the tensedevelopments in this body of waters. All of them hope that the East Sea will besafe, stable and have the freedom of navigation guaranteed.

The international community has also stressed the importanceof complying with international law while strongly protesting against theinfringements of UNCLOS as well as the refusal to adhere to the PCA ruling,according to Engelbert.

Journalist Rodion Ebbighausen from Germany’s Deutsche Welle TV channel speaks at the webinar (Photo: VNA)

Prof. Suzette Suarez from the Bremen University of AppliedSciences described the PCA ruling as a legal document with high internationalvalue and an important role in resolving disputes and demarcating the outer limitsof the continental shelf in the East Sea, which is a binding and compulsoryprocedure under UNCLOS.

Based on international law and the PCA verdict, China’s “nine-dash line” claim and other claims of sovereignty in the EastSea are completely void, she said.

Echoing the view, other experts at the webinar also highlyvalued the 2016 ruling by the PCA, which they said is an important legal basisfor handling the East Sea issue, and that all the parties concerned need torespect international law and refrain from making actions that complicate the situation.

Talking about Europe’s role in the East Sea issuesettlement, journalist Rodion Ebbighausen from Germany’s Deutsche Welle TVchannel said recently, France, Germany, and the Netherlands have issued theirnational strategies on the Indo-Pacific. In April this year, the European Council issuedthe EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

All of these documents mentioned the East Sea and emphasisedthe role of internationa🍌l law, especially UNCLOS, he said, adding that the EU’sviewpoint is pursuing a multilateral and inclusive approach to the settlementof this issue, including the use of peaceful means on the basis ofinternational law./.