Upcoming Events

Join the Department of East Asian Studies on Wednesday, September 23 from 4-5:30 p.m. in Tory 1-096 for the next talk in the Philippine Studies Lecture Series by Professor Jay L. Batongbacal (University of the Philippines College of Law).

Principles and Power: The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration and the Future of the Global International Order

The South China Sea disputes have always been referred to as the most complex and intractable of all international disputes, and in recent years have become the loci of increasing tensions among the claimant States. In 2016, an international tribunal convened in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea promulgated an Award that brought much-needed legal clarity with respect to the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China. China, however, roundly rejected the Award and since then, relations between the two countries have steadily deteriorated and interactions at sea have become increasingly belligerent and occasionally violent. This presentation seeks to provide a concise overview of the SCS and Philippines/China maritime disputes, the South China Sea Arbitration, developments in the aftermath of the Award, and the current state of affairs and tensions. It will also discuss the broader context and implications of these developments, the trajectories of current events, and the prospective futures for the Philippines/China relations, the Southeast Asian region, and the world. By the end of the lecture, it is hoped that the audience will have a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the ongoing disputes and their potential implications for the audience and international community as a whole.

Sponsored by the University of Alberta Department of East Asian Studies and the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary.