21 April 2025 | Kuala Lumpur — The Malaysian Institute of Defence and Security (MiDAS) hosted a closed-door Roundtable Talk with a visiting delegation from the South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI), led by its Director, Professor Hu Bo. This strategic engagement aimed to foster mutual understanding and explore pathways for enhanced maritime cooperation in the South China Sea.

The visiting delegation from SCSPI included Vice Directors Dr. Yan Yan and Dr. Lei Xiaolu, Associate Professor Dr. Zheng Zhihua, and Secretary Ms. Yang Mian. The roundtable brought together key maritime and strategic stakeholders from Malaysia, including both MiDAS Senior Directors, officers from the Maritime Security Branch, Associate Professor Dr. Ngeow Chow Bing and Dr. Lam Choong Wah from Universiti Malaya, as well as Dr. Syed Mohamad Syakir bin Syed Omar and LCDR Mohd Halizan bin Ali RMN from the Policy and Strategic Planning Division, Ministry of Defence Malaysia.

The comprehensive discussion spanned a wide array of pressing issues in the South China Sea, such as the sustainability of fish stocks, Vietnam’s recent 641-acre land reclamation at Barque Canada Reef, and China’s responses to regional developments. The effectiveness of multilateral frameworks like the ASEAN Regional Forum, and progress toward realising the long-anticipated Code of Conduct (CoC), were also deliberated at length.

The roundtable further examined the role and responses of littoral states, China’s lessons from the Malaysia-Singapore International Court of Justice (ICJ) case, and growing concerns over aggressive fishing practices by Vietnamese vessels in the region, which is depleting fish stocks. This engagement reflects MiDAS's continued commitment to constructive dialogue and the exchange of ideas with regional and international partners to ensure peace, security, and sustainability in the South China Sea.
The program ended with a visitor book signing, exchange of mementos and a photo session.