Cooperative Maritime Security Between EU and ASEAN in the South China Sea: Lessons Learned for Vietnam

Abstract

Maritime security reflects the interdependence between nations and the international community in the context of globalization. Countries, whether maritime or not, are exposed to threats to maritime security and face the need to take measures to ensure maritime security. The South China Sea, strategically located on the main maritime route linking the Pacific–Indian Ocean, Europe–Asia, Middle East–Asia, is considered the bustling international transport route. Therefore, maintaining maritime security in the South China Sea has implications for regional and global security, as well as world trade, requiring multilevel international cooperation. The paper focuses on (1) analyzing maritime security concepts, (2) identifying territorial disputes between the countries over the South China Sea as a maritime security threat, and (3) Eurasian cooperation an organic mechanism for ensuring maritime security in the South China Sea. The paper also mentions the efforts of Vietnam to participate in the Eurasian cooperation framework on maritime security in the South China Sea to learn lessons for Vietnam in strengthening maritime security in the region.