24 March 2026: Discussion/Lecture : Navigating through geo-political tensions

The South China Sea is a center of geopolitical conflict. As one of the most strategically and economically significant maritime regions in the world, a substantial share of global trade passes through its sea routes, while the region is believed to hold extensive fishing grounds as well as oil and natural gas reserves. Several neighboring states including Vietnam, the Philippines, and China dispute over territorial claims, associated sea routes, and exclusive economic zones. The presence of the United States in the region as well as the strategic rivalry between the US and China further shapes these conflict lines and contributes to heightened risks of escalation.

These overlapping claims have led to political tensions for years. There have been collisions between Chinese and Philippine coast guards as well as fishers in recent times. The ongoing militarization increases the risk of military confrontation and poses significant security challenges for the region.

With speakers from the Philippines and Vietnam, the panel aims to contribute to a better understanding of the current geopolitical interests in the South China Sea and asks: How does civil society perceive recent developments, differing interests, and power dynamics? How is the conflict discussed in the Philippines and in Vietnam? And what role do Germany and the Europe play in shaping the dynamics in the region?

A cooperation between philippinenbüro e.V. and Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation.

Speaker:

• Prof. S. Teresa Encarnacion Tadem (University of the Philippines Diliman)
• Chelsea Ngoc Minh Nguyen (Cambridge) 

Moderation:

• Hannah Wolf (philippinenbüro)
• Lena Heitkamp (Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung)

The event will be held in English with simultaneous translation into German.