Researchers' Activities

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 Deputy Director Dr Navin Rajagobal participated in the United Nations Regional Course on International Law held in Thailand in November 2012. For more information and photos, click here.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited by UNESCAP to advise Least Developed Countries on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Law and Policy at the Asia-Pacific FDI Network for Least Developed and Landlocked Developing Countries.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Dr Tan Hsien-Li presented her paper on “Legal Integration in the ASEAN Community” at the Congreso Internacional Sobre Globalizacion Juridica, Derecho Supranacional E Integracion Americana (International Conference on Globalization, Supranational Law and Legal Integration of the Americas) at the Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico City, Mexico.

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.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons was invited to attend the Conference Offshore Structures Asia held in Kuala Lumpur on 19-21 November 2012 and chaired the decommissioning panel organized on the first day. She also jointly presented with N.A. Wan Abdullah Zawawi from the Universiti Teknologi Petronas on ‘Decommissioning options and the International Regulatory Framework’. To downlad the presentation in PDF format, click here.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited by the Government of Myanmar and UNESCAP to advise Myanmar on its Investment Laws and Policies. Prof Ewing-Chow spent a week in Myanmar from 18 to 24 November understanding the needs of the various stakeholders while outlining the parameters and issues relating to foreign investments. His participation was highlighted in an article published by The New Light of Myanmar (download a copy in PDF) on 22 November 2012.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the Fourth International Workshop on the South China Sea organized by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the Vietnam Lawyers Association. The workshop was held from 18-21 November 2012 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and its theme was “The South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development”. Prof Beckman presented a paper on “The Significance of the Status of Offshore Geographic Features to Maritime Claims in the South China Sea” (download paper here; download presentation in PDF format here). He also did an oral presentation on the implications for the South China Sea of the 19 November 2012 decision of the International Court of Justice in The Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia) (download in PDF format).

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited by the WTO as a regional expert for the WTO Regional Trade Policy Course for Asia Pacific officials at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi, India. Prof Ewing-Chow taught “The WTO Dispute Settlement System” with Chibole Waikole, WTO Legal Affairs Officer and Alan Yanovich, Counselor, WTO Appellate Body Secretariat from 5-8 November 2012. Prof Ewing-Chow also shared his completed research on the use by Asian Developing Countries of the WTO Dispute Settlement System co-authored with CIL Student Research Assistant Alex Goh.

CIL Patron Prof S Jayakumar, Chairman of CIL’s International Advisory Panel (IAP), delivered the keynote address on “International Law and the South China Sea – Claims and Joint Development” at the Blue South China Sea, Green Joint Development Conference in Xiamen, China, on 3 November 2012. Prof Jayakumar was invited by the Xiamen University South China Sea Institute. For the text of the speech, click here.

From 2 to 5 November 2012 CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in three separate events during World Ocean Week (WOW) in Xiamen, China. On Friday 2 November, he attended the Blue Economy, Green Grow Technology-led Marine Economy Development Conference and made a presentation on “International Regulation of Low-carbon Marine Economy Development” at the Forum of Marine Science and Technology. On Saturday 3 November, he participated in the 1st Annual Meeting of the 3rd International Academic Advisory Committee of the Coastal and Ocean Management Institute of Xiamen University. On Sunday 4 November he attended the “Blue South China Sea: Green Joint Development” Conference organized by the programme on Oceans Law and Policy of the Xiamen University Law School. He made a presentation on “Identifying Areas for Joint Development and Cooperation in the South China Sea”. For his presentation at the Forum, click here. For his presentation at the Joint Development Conference, click here.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Law and Policy Programme and WTO Chair, NUS was invited to attend Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law (HiiL) Innovating Justice Forum 2012 from 1-2 November 2012. The forum focused on the issue of the rise of international rule making as a phenomenon and the problem of building trust in the rulemaking by transnational public and private networks. For more information on the Forum, visit the Forum website by clicking here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons participated actively in the APAC decommissioning workshop organized by Decomworld in Singapore on 31st October-1st November 2012. Professor Beckman chaired the regulatory panel and made a presentation on the global legal regime on the decommissioning of offshore installations and structures.

CIL Director Robert Beckman made a presentation on 24 October 2012 at the Workshop on ASEAN Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanisms at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. Prof Beckman’s presentation was on “Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and Compliance with ASEAN Agreements”. Prof Beckman also participated in a panel discussion at the Workshop on the ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanisms. For the PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons attended and made a presentation at the SCS-2012, 2nd Conference for Regional Cooperation in Ocean and Earth Science Research in the South China Sea: Sharing Knowledge, Resources and Technologies for a Sustainable South China Sea, jointly organized by the University of Malaya and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia (MOSTI). This conference took place on 21-24 October in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Youna’s presentation was titled: ‘Documenting Biodiversity Research to Assist with the Implementation of International Instruments and the Protection of Marine Biodiversity’. To download a copy of Youna’s presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman made a presentation on 17 October 2012 at the Offshore Patrol & Security Asia Pacific Conference at the Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prof Beckman’s presentation was on “Territorial Disputes, Unresolved Maritime Boundaries & Maritime Security – Case Study: The South China Sea”. For the PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivered a speech on “ASEAN-Japan Relations: A Singapore Perspective” at the GRIPS-ISEAS Joint Workshop 2012 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, Japan. To download the speech in PDF format, click here.

A/P Michael Ewing-Chow, WTO Chair and Head of CIL’s Trade and Investment Programme, and CIL Research Fellow Dr Tan Hsien-Li led a seminar on “The Role of the Rule of Law in ASEAN Integration” at the Academy of Global Governance, Executive Training Seminar Series on “Regional Integration Beyond the European Experience: Latin America and Asia”, European University Institute, Florence, Italy. For more information, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivered a speech on “Japan’s Prospects and Challenges: A View from Southeast Asia” at the International House of Japan, on the occassion of its 60th anniversary celebrations in Tokyo, Japan. To download the speech in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman delivered the Keynote Address at the 7th ABLOS Conference in Monaco on 1-5 October 2012. ABLOS is the Advisory Board on the Law of the Sea of the International Hydrographic Organization. The theme of the 7th ABLOS Conference was “UNCLOS in a Changing World”. Prof Beckman’s Keynote Address was on “Maritime Claims in the South China Sea: Issues & Challenges”. For the PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

CIL Research Associate Leonardo Bernard participated in the International Malaysia Law Conference with the theme “Asian Perspective, Global Viewpoints” from 26-28 September 2012 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. Leo presented a presentation titled “UNCLOS & the Legal Claims in the South China Sea”. The Conference was hosted by the Bar Council Malaysia. For the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in an International Seminar on “Geographical Features in the East Asian Seas and the Law of the Sea” from 20-21 September 2012 at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Prof Beckman presented a paper on the “Legal Status of Low-Tide Elevations and Submerged Features”. The seminar was co-hosted by the Society of Ieodo Research, Jeju, Korea and the Center for Asia-Pacific Area Studies, Academia Sinica. For the PowerPoint presentation, click here. For the draft paper, click here.