Hai Phong (VNA) – The 11th Ocean Dialogue,themed “Hybrid Activities: Helping or Hindering Order at Sea”, took place inthe northern port city of Hai Phong on July 11.

The event, held by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV),the UK Embassy in Vietnam, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) foundation’s VietnamOffice, attracted more than 100 delegates attending in person and over 50others via videoconference, including 20 experts from 14 countries.

Participants discussed the trend of using hybrid activities by many countries inthe region and the world, including grey zone activities in the East Sea. They shared viewpoints on hybrid activities and countries’ experience in respondingto grey zone activities, and looked to debate and make policy and legalproposals for managing activities to ensure order at sea.

In his opening remarks, DAV Deputy Director Dr Nguyen HungSon said that hybrid activities are not a new phenomenon in the world. Many greyzone activities haven’t been fully identified or assessed on the basis ofinternational law. The dialogue aimed to scrutinise the nature of thoseactivities, the lack of goodwill in applying and interpreting internationallaw, or the taking advantage of the unclear regulations of international law to weakeninternational law, thereby devising more effective response to this strategy.

Speakers at the event discussed hybrid and greyzone activities in the region, including the East Sea. They pointed out that hybridactivities combine traditional and non-traditional, military and non-militarymeasures; are often conducted by non-state entities but supported by states;keep the situation below the red line of war; and often take place intransition zones between different spaces, entities, or rules.

They said grey zone and hybrid activities are posing legalchallenges and affecting the international order. In particular, the developmentof technology has been making challenges from those activities clearer. Besides,grey zone activities occur not only in the field but also other aspects such aseconomy (sanctions, embargoes, trade restrictions) and information (intentionalmisinformation).

Suggesting some initiatives for countries in and outside theregion to better manage hybrid activities and effectively respond to grey zoneactivities, the dialogue said countries should enhance the coordination ofactions among relevant agencies; and improve the capacity of identifying greyzone challenges, and differentiating hybrid activities with legal purposes fromgrey zone activities with illegal intentions.

Countries and international organisations should perfect the legalframeworks on hybrid activities. Besides, international cooperation is also thekey for countries to coordinate actions to better manage hybrid activities,delegates noted.

The Ocean Dialogue, initiated by the DAV, aims to connectscientists to discuss marine science, policies, and legal frameworks towardssustainable ocean governance./.