Professor Po Hu expressed optimism that while a full resolution of the dispute with the Philippines was unlikely “in our lifetime,” he remained “confident that we can peacefully manage these disputes” moving forward

Chinese scholars suggest peaceful path with Philippines in South China Sea dispute
Experts emphasise compromise and reject ‘megaphone diplomacy’ to avoid conflicts in the disputed waterway
Raissa Robles, Apr 20 2025
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3307130/chinese-scholars-suggest-peaceful-path-philippines-south-china-sea-dispute

China has no intention of relinquishing its territorial claims in the South China Sea – but it is equally determined to avoid conflict and manage disputes peacefully, four Chinese maritime scholars stated at a recent forum in Manila, framing compromise and restraint as the only viable paths forward.

The scholars shared their views just days after the latest confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels, expressing scepticism about the possibility of resolving the long-standing maritime dispute soon. But argued that mutual trust, patience, and a rejection of “megaphone diplomacy” could help defuse the crisis.

The forum – titled “Peaceful Settlement of Disputes in the South China Sea” – was held at the Kamuning Bakery in suburban Manila on April 11, came five days after a near-collision in contested waters that once again highlighted the risks of escalation.

On April 6, a Chinese coastguard vessel attempted to block a Philippine coastguard ship near Scarborough Shoal. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said the incident was a “reckless and dangerous” manoeuvre that showed a “blatant disregard for safety”.

It was the latest in a series of high-stakes encounters between the two sides. Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr took office in July 2022, the Philippines has filed more than 200 diplomatic protests against China on this matter, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Despite the challenges, Professor Hu Bo – director of the South China Sea Policy Institute and a research professor at Peking University’s Center for Maritime Strategy Studies – expressed optimism that while a full resolution of the dispute was unlikely “in our lifetime”, he remained “confident that we can peacefully manage these disputes” moving forward.

A maritime dispute was “far more complicated than [a] land boundary dispute,” said Dr Yan Yan, director of the Research Center of Oceans Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

She explained that resolving the issue was especially difficult because “we have more than 200 features in the South China Sea” and ownership must be determined before drawing maritime boundaries among the five coastal states and their neighbours.

Crisis prevention and management would be crucial, she added. “The first thing is that we need to bear in mind the principle of self-restraint. And we also need to let our communication mechanism work, whether it be the BCM, the bilateral consultative mechanism, or the coastguard hotline to prevent escalation.”

Dr Zheng Zhihua, a research professor and head of the East Asa Marine Policy Project at the Center for Japanese Studies at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said that China’s rapid economic growth enabled it to uphold its territorial integrity, “I don’t see the possibility for China to give up its territory [and] sovereignty in the South China Sea. So what is important for us is to manage the dispute peacefully.”

According to Lei Xiaolu, professor at the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies of Wuhan University, managing the crisis involved avoiding “megaphone diplomacy” – or publicising every maritime event and encouraging external partners to issue statements or intervene.

She maintained that Asean member states had “no tradition to use the microphone to ask anybody else to intervene to deal with the dispute”, a reference to Manila’s efforts to involve the US, Japan and Australia in its dispute with China. [my comment: Canada and the EU also expressed displeasure with Red China, you filthy liars at the SCMP!]

She also noted that of the 180 global maritime boundary disputes, nearly 160 had been resolved quietly through “mutual negotiations and agreements”, with only a few brought before international tribunals. Her remarks were seen as a veiled reference to Manila’s 2013 arbitration case against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration administered that case in The Hague. In 2016, the tribunal ruled that China’s expansive claims under the so-called nine-dash line had no legal basis. While the outcome was widely regarded as a legal and diplomatic victory for the Philippines, it did not address sovereignty over specific maritime features – and China has refused to recognise the ruling.

“We still have the chance to have a bilateral negotiation with China to resolve all these disputes and manage these crises,” Professor Lei said.

Dr Yan underscored the need for both sides to practice “self-restraint” and “patience” and to have confidence in their ability to manage the crises.

“I’m realistic,” she said. “Everybody [in the dispute] needs to know that nobody wins it all.”

She hinted that China might be open to compromise, referencing the resolution of a maritime boundary dispute between China and Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin in 2000, where Vietnam secured 51 per cent and China accepted a lesser share. “China and Vietnam know how to compromise so we can make a deal.”

“I think if the Philippines knows the beauty of compromise, the beauty of achieving what we really want by peaceful means, I think we can finally find a final resolution in the South China Sea,” Yan said.

Dr Rommel Banlaoi, director of the Manila-based Centre for the Study of Philippines-China Relations, noted that China has a record of exhibiting patience in settling territorial disputes peacefully.

“[It] waited 156 years to get back Hong Kong from Great Britain, 442 years to regain Macau from Portugal,” he said

When This Week in Asia asked academics about China’s commitment to the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea, Professor Hu said, “China is very serious about the CoC negotiation.”

He also noted Dr Yang’s comments from the forum about the Chinese government’s willingness to finalise the document next year.

“Maybe, this is the only last chance to conclude this document,” he said.