Dialogue seen as key to peace in South China Sea

Returning to the negotiation table and exploring means of cooperation is the only feasible and right path to reduce risk and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, and it is also the way for regional countries to get along with each other, observers said on Thursday.

They made the remarks during a panel discussion at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024 in Boao, Hainan province, after they agreed that as a geopolitical hot spot, the South China Sea situation is evolving in a larger context of intensifying rivalries, low trust and rising tension.

Nguyen Hung Son, vice-president of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, said that with the world grappling with uncertainties, managing the South China Sea has become more challenging. "We must work together ... to reduce confusion and minimize miscalculation by strengthening strategic communication and dialogue, and we must not send the wrong signal to the other side," he said.