Scholars calls for peaceful solutions to East Sea dispute (VOV) - The current territorial dispute in the East Sea should be resolved through peaceful measures so as to create a peaceful environment for cooperation and development, an international conference heard in HCM City on July 25. Addressing the event, Dang Ngoc Tung, President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), noted that in recent years territorial disputes in the East Sea have not only directly affected the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen, but threatened peace and freedom of navigation of regional countries. “Given this context, it is important to organise an international conference with the participation of leaders, professors, scholars and international law experts who can seek optimum solutions to East Sea-related issues in line with Vietnam’s peace-loving tradition and its peaceful diplomacy,” he said.   A Chinese ship chasing after and ramming a Vietnamese fishing boat in the East Sea in June 2014 Professor Nguyen Manh Hung from George Mason University, USA, denounced China’s recent unilateral actions and territorial claims in the East Sea, posing a big threat to regional peace, stability and freedom of navigation, as well as affecting fishermen’s operations at sea. He expressed hope that during the two-day conference scholars will work out viable solutions to support fishermen in operating in their traditional fishing grounds in the East Sea. Dr S.D. Pradhan from Chandighrh University, India’s former deputy national security adviser, pointed out the fact that a number of agreements have been signed by countries to maintain peace, but China paid no heed to these agreements and it carried out provocative actions in the East Sea. To tackle the current dispute, he said the international community should have a stronger voice, forcing parties concerned to fully observe international law. Echoing Pradhan’s view, Professor Ramses Amer, senior researcher of the Centre for Pacific Asia Studies of Stockholm University, suggested that countries should unite and find common ground to cope with China’s claims, requiring bilateral dialogues.      More than 20 presentations will be examined at the conference that has attracted scholars from the US, Sweden, India, Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Russia, and Vietnam.  VOV