Editor's note: Hayat Bangash is a freelance columnist on international affairs with degrees in business administration and war studies. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

China, a major maritime country, lies adjacent to the historically peaceful South China Sea. Due to the presence of certain extra-regional elements in recent times, the country has had to ensure that the vast water body remains a sea of peace and does not turn into a fighting arena.

This commitment was reiterated on July 25, 2022 at a symposium on the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). The DOC is a momentous document that set the foundations for China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to work together for security, stability, and maintenance of freedom of navigation.

To understand the need for stability in and around the South China Sea, imagine a scenario of disorder and chaos, marred by confrontations and disputes. Apart from an uncontrolled arms race, such a possibility will lead to myriads of problems – economic being probably the least worrisome.

Presently there are elements in the South China Sea that come from half a world away, attempting to exert influence in a demonstrably hegemonic manner. With a zero-sum ideology, they stoke tensions that are against the interests of everybody in the region.

These external elements are adamant on continuing their provocations despite suffering from imperial fatigue caused by the loss of lives, capital, and prestige in recent conflicts. The cost of their arrogant power projection is increasingly becoming prohibitive but their unwillingness to learn from history will ultimately lead them into a Sicilian Expedition that will bear no different results than it did for Athens.

This does not mean that external players are unwelcome in the South China Sea. If their intent is peaceful and they aim to bring forth economic gains not for just themselves, they will be facilitated and peaceably accommodated. If it is otherwise, then the nations in the South China Sea region know how to safeguard their interests.

These littoral nations also know how to work with each other to address minor hitches that keep emerging from time to time. In a busy and resource-rich region, friction is anything but unnatural. These nations have, therefore, come up with concerted ways of sorting out any emerging discord.

The Brunei-proposed "dual-track" approach is fully supported and advocated by China. It involves the resolution of disagreements through consultations between directly concerned parties.

Regional countries are the main stakeholders when it comes to settling contentious issues. They should thus be at the forefront of decision-making among each other. The dual-track approach has solved numerous matters in the past and is expected to remain helpful in preserving peace in the South China Sea.

Then there is the East Asian model of addressing disputes. In continuation of the centuries-old Confucian values that have incentivized order in Asia, this model engenders mutual respect and gives the highest priority to honoring promises.

It encourages harmony and discourages conflict, in sharp contrast with Europe's traditional balance of power system that has been, unfortunately, exported the world over. The eventual outcome of this East Asian model is a positive-sum outcome through win-win cooperation.

To solidify their cooperation, regional countries will have to continue to build bilateral and multilateral dialogue mechanisms. Problems ultimately have to be resolved at the table. And for that purpose, strong platforms and agreements provide common ground.

By strengthening these mechanisms, all parties will be able to accommodate their interests, manage their differences, and be in a position to jointly develop the region. The DOC is one such framework that has helped maintain peace for the last 20 years and enabled its adherents to develop mutual trust and achieve early harvest on a range of issues.

Key areas of future cooperation, as outlined by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the DOC symposium, are scientific research, environmental protection, and search and rescue in the South China Sea.

The next step in the legacy of the DOC is its upgrading to reach a consensus on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). In conformity with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, COC should be serving as a guideline to keep the South China Sea free of conflict.

As the sea routes remain on the path of ever-increasing commercialization, they will remain fraught with competition. It is only through the management of differences under practical frameworks like the DOC and COC that maritime stakeholders will be able to uphold their national interests while respecting those of their neighbors.

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