The 5th Nanyang Culture Festival’s Forums, themed “New Maritime Silk Road Construction and ASEAN Integration” was held on 23 April 2016 at Xiamen University. The organizers, Consulates General of Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and the Xiamen Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (FOCAO), in collaboration with Xiamen University, invited scholars and academic luminaries from the ASEAN member countries to participate in the Forum.
Keynote speeches were delivered by Mr. Sun Guoxiang, Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Chamroen Tipayapingtada, Governor of Phuket Province of Thailand, Mr. Srey Suon, Undersecretary of State of the Minstry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia and Ambassador Yang Xiuping, Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Center.
The Forum’s roundtable discussion involved presentors from ASEAN countries namely, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar.
Dr. Aileen San Pablo-Baviera a renowned scholar and China Studies expert of the Asian Center/University of the Philippines, represented the Philippines. Her presentation was entitled “The Philippines: The Quintessential Maritime State.” She highlighted that the Philippines is an archipelagic state of 7100 islands where unity of land and water is integral to national survival. Being a rich country in terms of marine biodiversity and natural resource it is confronted with poverty and lack of development, specially in the coastal areas.
Prof. Baviera recommended that to overcome these challenges, the Philippines intensify regional cooperation, enhance maritime connectivity, strengthen research, science and technology capabilities, give attention to cessation of over exploitation of marine resources and provide more access to EEZ and traditional fishing grounds as well as prioritize sustainable development of ocean resources. END
