In this collaboration with UCL Diplomacy Society, we invited Mr Aristyo Darmawan and Dr Cheng-Chwee Kuik about the long-standing South China Sea conflict and the multi-faceted strategic and legal aspects of the dispute. We will also explore the impact of the South China Sea disputes on intra-ASEAN relations, regional security and maritime stability in the region.

About the Speakers:

Mr Darmawan from the Universitas Indonesia will be discussing the international law framework of the South China Sea. This includes the basis behind the different claims made by the countries, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) and the possibility of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea being implemented in the future.

Dr Cheng-Chwee from the University of Malaysia and John Hopkins Foreign Policy Institute will analyse how Southeast Asian countries hedge between the US and China in light of growing power rivalries, and the US' evolving Indo-Pacific strategy.