A two-day South China Sea sub-forum at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 ended Friday with calls for greater restraint, dialogue and cooperation to safeguard regional peace.

The forum, themed "The South China Sea Order and Governance Cooperation in a Changing World", was co-organized by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance, the China Oceanic Development Foundation, the Chinese Global Program Center of China Media Group, and the Boao Forum for Asia Secretariat. It drew about 200 participants from roughly 20 countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. Attendees included scholars, officials, diplomats and industry representatives.

Discussions centered on four main topics: cooperation mechanisms, marine environmental protection as a bridge for China-ASEAN ocean governance, rules and order in the South China Sea, and marine economy development linked to the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Keynote speakers highlighted rising risks from major power rivalry, unilateral actions and the lingering impact of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration case.

Liu Zhenmin, special envoy for Climate Change of China and former under-secretary-general of the United Nations, said East Asian nations should draw lessons from the Middle East turmoil to safeguard peaceful coexistence. He called for regional arrangements that ensure long-term stability and protect maritime routes in the South China Sea. He also said China and ASEAN countries need to speed up negotiations on a South China Sea code of conduct to build trust and boost maritime cooperation. In addition, Liu said East Asia should accelerate its energy transition and build a new energy mechanism to support regional energy security.