The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum: Delegates pay attention to the safety of sea lanes

China News Service, Beijing, September 16 (Li Chun, Liu Mengqing) The 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum is being held in Beijing on the 16th. The topic of maritime channel safety has received widespread attention from all parties. Many Chinese and foreign representatives attending the meeting said that conflicts and confrontations between countries should not undermine the safety of international waterways.

Yousni bin Mokhtar, director of the Malaysian Institute of Defense and Security, said he was very touched by the Strait of Hormuz issue because Malaysia is close to the Strait of Malacca and understands the importance of keeping international waterways open. If precautions are not taken, the "Strait of Hormuz problem" may occur in other parts of the world in the future.

Zhu Feng, a professor at the School of International Relations at Nanjing University, believes that the biggest revelation from the navigation issue in the Strait of Hormuz is that the security of ocean lanes has become "one of the most vulnerable issues" in global security in the 21st century.

Many participants put forward their own opinions on how to ensure the safety and smoothness of sea lanes.

Peter Levy, President of the Australian Naval Institute, said that international organizations and institutions should play a greater role in maintaining the safety of sea lanes. He believes that relevant crisis management and control mechanisms should be established to reduce the risk of misjudgment and avoid the worsening of disputes.

Prokhor Turbin, chief researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Russian National Research University of Economics, believes that countries in the maritime channel area can establish consultation mechanisms or laws and regulations to ensure the overall security and stability of the region.

Many participants also expressed that conflicts and confrontations between countries should not affect the safety and smoothness of international sea lanes. Maintaining security and stability in the Strait of Hormuz is in the common interest of the international community.

"Why is the Strait of Hormuz issue so prominent? A very important reason is unilateralism and hegemonic behavior." Zhu Feng pointed out that to prevent the "Strait of Hormuz issue" from reappearing in other parts of the world, we must first stabilize relations between major powers and abide by international laws and international rules. Key sea lanes should remain open and free for navigation, which is a common requirement of international law and the post-war international order.