On December 1, 2025 Symposium on International Maritime Dispute Settlement and International Law was held in Beijing. Co-hosted by the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance (Huayang Center) and the China Oceanic Development Foundation, the event brought together nearly 300 participants, including representatives from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the United Nations International Law Commission, and the International Seabed Authority, as well as scholars from universities and think tanks, government officials, diplomats from foreign embassies and consulates in China, and members of the media from China, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, Germany, Austria, Burundi, Cameroon, and Nicaragua.

Wu Shicun, Chairman of the Huayang Center and Chairman of the Academic Committee of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), delivered welcome remarks at the opening ceremony. Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority Leticia Reis de Carvalho, and President of the China Ocean Development Foundation Lv Bin also addressed the opening ceremony. Tomas Heidar, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and Ma Xinmin, Member of the International Law Commission, delivered keynote speeches in succession.

Hua Chunying noted that the “Symposium on International Maritime Dispute Settlement and International Law” has been held for three consecutive years, becoming a professional platform focused on maritime issues and the promotion of the rule of law at sea, with growing authority and influence. She emphasized that the current international maritime legal order is being undermined by certain countries’ unilateral actions that disrupt global ocean governance. All states should firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, exercise their rights and fulfill their obligations in accordance with international law, and, on the basis of consensus, continue advancing and improving the application of international law in the maritime domain. The international community, she added, should support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes and genuinely respect the consensus and initiatives of regional countries in safeguarding peace.

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying delivers opening remark

Wu Shicun observed that maritime disputes between states are inherently complex, sensitive, and protracted, and that resolving them is even more challenging. With respect to the South China Sea, the number of states involved, the sheer quantity of disputed islands and features, and the vast areas of overlapping maritime claims are unparalleled globally; fully settling this dispute may require the efforts of several generations. While the settlement of inter-state maritime disputes cannot proceed without international law, international law itself is not a cure-all. The purpose of this symposium, he noted, is to identify common answers through dialogue and exchange, to better understand the emerging challenges that may arise in the settlement of maritime disputes, and to explore pathways for addressing these new challenges.

Wu Shicun, Chairman of the Huayang Center, and Chairman of the Academic Committee of NISCSS delivers opening remark

In her video remarks, Leticia Reis de Carvalho noted that China has long upheld the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has worked closely with the International Seabed Authority, making important contributions to global ocean governance. At a time when international maritime disputes are increasing and global ocean governance is facing challenges from multiple fronts, the status of deep-sea resources as the common heritage of humankind is beyond question, and the effective implementation of the BBNJ Agreement cannot proceed without the International Seabed Authority. Carvalho concluded by extending her best wishes for fruitful academic outcomes from the symposium.

Leticia Reis de Carvalho, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, gives an opening remark through video

Speaking on behalf of one of the co-organizers, the China Oceanic Development Foundation, Lv Bin extended congratulations on the successful convening of the symposium. He noted that this is the third consecutive year the Foundation has participated in co-organizing the Symposium on International Maritime Dispute Settlement and International Law. In recent years, the Foundation has actively supported the development of the international rule of law at sea and the dissemination of maritime knowledge within China, including by co-hosting major academic conferences such as “UNCLOS and Great Power Practice,” “Research on the Designation of High Seas Marine Protected Areas,” the “China–Europe Symposium on the Law of the Sea,” and the “International Symposium on Scientific and Legal Issues Concerning the Continental Shelf and the International Seabed Area.” Looking ahead, the China Oceanic Development Foundation will continue to contribute its strength as a social organization to building a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable global ocean order.

Lv Bin, President of China Oceanic Development Foundation delivers opening remark

Tomas Heidar outlined the compulsory dispute settlement mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and analyzed the characteristics of the various dispute settlement fora. He noted that the coexistence of multiple mechanisms can indeed give rise to potential “fragmentation” concerns; at the same time, this plurality also creates important space for complementarity. UNCLOS, he emphasized, has already demonstrated its capacity to guide the international community in addressing challenges that span generations.

Tomas Heidar, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, delivers keynote speech

Ma Xinmin noted that the BBNJ Agreement represents a new development in international maritime law, inheriting and advancing key regimes related to marine genetic resources, area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments, capacity-building, and the transfer of marine technology. He also elaborated on China’s contributions to the conclusion of the BBNJ Agreement and offered recommendations for its implementation.

Ma Xinmin, Member of the International Law Commission, delivers keynote speech

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as “International Maritime Dispute Settlement Mechanism: Review and Outlook” and “Cutting-Edge Issues in International Maritime Disputes: Rules and Practices.” The exchanges covered a wide range of theoretical and practical questions, including methods and approaches for the peaceful settlement of international disputes, dispute prevention, the BBNJ Agreement and governance of the international seabed area, maritime delimitation, and the implications of sea-level rise.

Landry Sibomana, Legal Advisor at the Permanent Mission of Burundi to the United Nations, and Wu Shicun, Chairman of the Huayang Center, delivered closing remarks at the conference.

During the conference, Wu Shicun also gave interviews to a range of domestic and international media outlets, including the China Media Group's (CMG) New Media Center, China Media Group Chinese Language Center, China News Service, China Daily, Global Times, Sansha Satellite TV, The Paper, Phoenix TV, South China Morning Post, and China Review News Agency.

Wu Shicun receives interviews from domestic and international media