Researchers' Activities

CIL Director Robert Beckman attended the London International Boundary Conference at the Royal Geographic Society in London from 18-19 April 2013. The Conference was organized by the UK Hydrographic Office, Volterra Fietta and King’s College London and was held at the Royal Geographic Society. Prof Beckman spoke on a panel on the South China Sea and presented on the topic of “The Philippines v China Case and the South China Sea Disputes”. For a copy of his PowerPoint Slides in PDF format, click here.

CIL sponsored a Panel at the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) in Washington DC on 5 April 2013, titled “Challenges for ASEAN: The South China Sea, Investment Protection and Myanmar”. Prof Michael Ewing-Chow opened the Panel with discussion on ASEAN legalization, institutionalization and economic law issues facing ASEAN, followed by Ambassador Arif Havas Oegroseno who talked about ASEAN and the South China Sea disputes. CIL’s Research Fellow Tara Davenport then talked about the approach of ASEAN Member States in negotiating and settling maritime boundaries (download her presentation in PDF format). Finally, CIL’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Tan Hsien-Li closed the Panel with a discussion of ASEAN’s approach to the human rights situation in Myanmar. The Panel was chaired by Edmund Sim of Appleton & Luff, and co-sponsored by the ASIL Law in Pacific Rim Interest Group and the ASIL International Economic Law Interest Group.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the 9th Japan-Singapore Symposium organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in Tokyo, Japan. Prof Beckman made a presentation on the South China Sea Disputes as part of the panel on ‘Maritime Issues in the Region: Establishment of the Order of the Law of the Sea’.

CIL Director Robert Beckman presented a paper entitled “The Philippines v. China Case and the South China Sea Disputes” at a Conference on the South China Sea at the Asia Society in New York from 13-15 March 2015. The Conference was co-organized by the LKY School of Public Policy. To download Prof Beckman’s paper, click here. To download his PowerPoint presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh presented a paper on the topic of “Asia and UNCLOS: Progress, Practice and Problems” (download in PDF format) at the 2012 Yeosu International Conference Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Yeosu EXPO, Republic of Korea.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS. To download it in PDF, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in an international conference on the South China Sea which was organized and hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) in Haikou, Hainan, China from 5-7 December 2012. The theme of the conference was “Recent Development of the South China Sea Dispute and Prospects of Joint Development Regime”. Prof Beckman presented a paper entitled “Legal Framework for Joint Development in the South China Sea”. While he was in Haikou he also had discussions with NISCSS Director Dr Wu Shicun about possible collaboration between CIL and NISCSS. For a copy of his paper, click here. For a copy of his PowerPoint presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman contributed to the CSCAP Regional Security Outlook 2013 with a short article on “Increased Tension and Risk of Potential Conflict in the South China Sea”. CSCAP is the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific. It provides an informal mechanism for scholars, officials and others in their private capacities to discuss political and security issues and challenges facing the region. The CSCAP regional security outlook (CRSO) is an annual publication to highlight regional security concerns and to promote informed policy-relevant outputs to advance regional security cooperation at official (Track One) levels. To download the article in PDF, click here.

CIL Research Associate Leonardo Bernard participated in the International Conference for the 30th Anniversary of UNCLOS with the theme “China and the Law of the Sea” from 22-24 November 2012 at Qingdao, China. Leo delivered a presentation titled “Effect of Islands on Maritime Delimitation: A Look at the Recent Judgments of ITLOS and ICJ”. The Conference was hosted by the Ocean University of China. To download the presentation in PDF format, click here. To download his paper on “The Role of Islands on Maritime Boundaries Delimitation: A Look at the Recent Decision of ITLOS”, click here.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons was invited by the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Foreign Affair of Indonesia to 2nd International Conference on Liability and Compensation Regime for transboundary oil damage resulting from offshore exploration and exploitation activities and contributed to the expert discussion on the establishment of a new regime.