By Xie Ruiqiang

The 7th Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance was held in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, from November 6 to 8. Topics high on the agenda included global maritime security, the situation in the South China Sea, and the security of maritime channels.

Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, Wu Shicun, Chairman of the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and Chairman of the Academic Committee of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), stated that the situation in the South China Sea has generally remained stable and controllable from 2025 to the present. However, regional instability persists, and maritime security risks cannot be ignored, among which the unilateral provocative actions of the Philippines have undermined the peace and stability of the South China Sea.

Jayanath Colombage, former Chief of the Sri Lanka Navy and former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Indonesia, noted that the South China Sea is a vital passage for global production and trade, and any disruption to trade would affect world economic stability. He stressed that relevant countries should strengthen cooperation to prevent the South China Sea from becoming a conflict zone and to maintain peace and order in the region. Disputes should primarily be resolved through consultations between China and ASEAN countries, without allowing external forces to intervene.

The lingering military conflicts in several global hotspots have flashed "red lights" for multiple strategic sea lines of communication, particularly in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which continue to pose severe shocks to global supply chains and trade security.

According to Colombage, despite being thousands of miles apart, the Persian Gulf and the South China Sea share similarities and critical importance, as both face intense geopolitical competition and intervention by external forces. He said that we can learn many lessons from the situation in the Persian Gulf. Gulf countries mainly rely on military forces from outside the region for their security, and purchase weapon systems from abroad to bolster their defenses in hopes of enhancing their capabilities. However, the current situation in the Persian Gulf shows that this does not work—sheer military superiority does not automatically ensure maritime security.

Colombage further analyzed that the South China Sea is a crucial maritime corridor linking the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Although competition cannot be completely eliminated, it can be managed through appropriate mechanisms. Communication between potential adversaries is vital. South China Sea coastal states should reach a sustainable maritime security agreement and establish a regionally inclusive maritime security architecture, rather than relying indefinitely on external security forces.

During the symposium, the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance released the Global Maritime Security Report 2025-2026. The report pointed out that in 2025-2026, the situation in the South China Sea has generally remained stable and manageable, with regional dialogue and cooperation continuing to progress. However, regional turbulence has repeatedly flared up, and maritime security risks continue to accumulate. The ongoing intervention of major external powers, the escalating unilateral actions of certain claimant states in the South China Sea disputes, and the persistent negative spillover effects of the so-called "arbitration award" related to the "South China Sea arbitration" pose multiple challenges to maritime security in the region.

According to Wu, since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office, China-Philippines relations have spiraled downward over the South China Sea issue, with peace and stability in the region constantly undermined. The Philippines' unilateral provocative actions have damaged peace and stability, negatively impacting the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

The frequency of Philippine provocations in the South China Sea has increased significantly in recent times, with at least 10 serious maritime rights-violation and provocative acts occurring between September and October 2026—more than double the previous level.

Regarding China-Philippines relations, Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies (PSISS), remarked during the symposium that despite decades of diplomatic engagement and dialogue between the two nations, it is regrettable that disputes over the South China Sea have increasingly become a source of tension and distrust. He emphasized that the Philippines and China are not only neighbors, but also key partners sharing broad and substantial common interests.

Editor's Note: Originally published by thepaper.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.