Nearly 100 French scholars and professors gathered in Paris on June 25 to address the East Sea dispute and its ramifications on security in the Southeast Asian region.

Speaking at the event, Professor Rommel Banlaoi from Miriam University warned that the placement of Haiyang Shiyou-981 inside Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf has sent a wave of insecurity rippling throughout the region.

It is unequivocally undeniable that China has committed serious violations of international agreements, he said citing specifically transgressions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Further, he said, taken as a whole China’s actions collectively serve to concretise its desire for transgressing all the East Sea through the groundless claim of the 'nine-dash line' or 'U-shaped line'.

He emphasised that the use or threat of force will only serve to heighten current tensions in the East Sea and create additional negative consequences and that the relevant parties need to resolve the dispute peacefully through diplomacy and dialogue.

China must respect its international commitments and ASEAN countries must be united as only solidarity and cooperation can settle the tensions in the East Sea, he remarked.

Vietnamese people’s patriotism and determination to protect the national sovereignty is becoming stronger and stronger and China should be aware that Vietnam will never step back in protecting national sovereignty and interests, professor Banlaoi said.

Although the European Union has issued a statement on the East Sea, the professor said the statement was not in line with the organisation’s strength to take a stance.

If there is no stronger voice and action, EU interests in the region will be negatively affected and China will meet its goal in the East Sea, he said.

Marie-Sybille de Vienne from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris expressed her concern over China’s actions.

China must show its responsibility for lessening current tensions and look towards peaceful means for resolving disputes, she said.

VOV/VNN