SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST | Published December 25, 2024
A workshop in Beijing heard that the country needs to boost its legal talent pool as Manila threatens action in the international courts
Beijing has been urged to strengthen its team of specialists in maritime law as the Philippines threatens a further challenge over the long-running dispute in the South China Sea.
Wu Shicun, founder of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies and chairman of the Huayang Centre for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, said the coming year is a critical window of opportunity for Beijing.
Manila is threatening to launch new arbitration proceedings, while the re-election of Donald Trump as US president adds further uncertainty to the dynamics in the South China Sea, Wu said.
“To more effectively safeguard China’s maritime interests and address the challenges posed by other claimant nations, there is an urgent need for China to develop a cadre of legal experts,” Wu said.
These professionals must not only have a deep understanding of international law but also be proficient in foreign languages and well informed about other countries’ politics, he said.
Wu was speaking at a workshop focused on international dispute resolution held in Beijing last week, which the Huayang centre co-hosted.
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