CIL Research Fellow Dr Su Wai Mon Spoke at the Manila Dialogue on South China Sea Plenary 3: Securing Submarine Cables in the South China Sea - A Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Philippines Special Plenary Session, 5-7 November 2025 in Manila, Philippines

Su delivered a presentation on “Protection of Submarine Cables in the South China Sea: Advancing Multilateral and Regional Cooperation,” where she discussed the relevant UNCLOS framework and existing legal gaps and enforcement challenges, the importance of public–private partnerships, and practical pathways forward for enhancing cable protection in the region. She underscored the need for effective implementation of Article 113 of UNCLOS, the criminalization of intentional damage to submarine cables. Su also highlighted the importance of close collaboration between national authorities and the cable industry throughout the processes of surveying routes, laying cables, and ensuring adequate monitoring and surveillance. She further emphasized the need to establish a dedicated national coordinating agency for submarine cable governance and to integrate cable protection into national maritime security policies and strategies.