Thread by @Scs_Connect

LIVE THREAD: Welcome back to the 12th South China Sea Conference. The 2nd day discussion starts with Session 3 on Unplanned Encounters at Sea, moderated by @AusAmbVN. #SCSC12. Follow this thread for more.

@AusAmbVN Prof. Carl Thayer: Existing regimes regulating encounters at seas are not sufficient enough. ASEAN-China COC should provide extra guidelines & include 3rd parties such as Japan, Australia & the US, etc. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Prof. Thayer says CUES should be extended to civilian vessels while Prof. Pan Jun Hu from NWUPL, China emphasizes CUES as a Navy-Navy mechanism. #SCSC12 #SouthChinaSea

@AusAmbVN Pan Jun Hu: many unplanned encounters in SCS are well planned; Economic development can go first, with dispute set aside, to help diffuse tension; CUES is important but not enough. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Ksenia Kuzmina, RIAC Russia suggests a flexible arrangement to manage sea encounters:
built on existing frameworks, tailored to different vessel types, include external stakeholders, strictly operational/not politicized. Binding bilateral deal is more realistic. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Kuzmina: Mutually acceptable COC only works if parties show mutual restrain and political will (better at highest level). #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Vice Adm. Yoji Koda: there is a growing concerns about small incidents escalating into all-out collision btw China & Japan. But the current bilateral agreement only covers naval channel, nothing at coast guard level which have fierce, direct & daily contacts. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Vice Adm. Koda: the fewer agreements the better; key factors for success sea encounter management are national leadership determination & sailors’ discipline. #SCSC12 #SouthChinaSea

@AusAmbVN Capt. Martin Sebastian, Malaysia:
agreements like DOC & CUES allow China to operate w. impunity in #SouthChinaSea. Collective actions should priortize saving (all) lives, collaboration w. external parties & responsibility for future generation. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Vice Adm. Pradeep Chauhan, India: If China doesn't follow regulations it has signed, additional agreements for a narrower, subregional commitment would not bring much value. Concerted international pressure (socially/legally rather than economically) will work. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN China's new draft law allowing its coast guards to fir foreign vessels receives much interests. Prof Lei Xiaolu from Wuhan University says such law won't affect others' jurisdiction, is China's domestic issue, similar to other states' practice and has "nothing special". #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN From the audience: Michael Vatikiotis says regulations should incorporate the Common Operating Principles such as communications & transparency, do no harm, due regards to good order. #SCSC12

@AusAmbVN Vice Adm. Chauhan says it's difficult to define "civilian" vessels due to different interpretations, stresses China's "exceptionalism" in SCS vessel conduct from other countries'.

@AusAmbVN Session 5 on unplanned incidents concluded with much lingering thought. After the break, we will resume with Session 6 on fisheries development. #SCSC12 #SouthChinaSea