A decade on: The enduring significance of the South China Sea Arbitral Award

Last week marked another successful chapter for the ANU Philippines Institute, bringing together diverse voices from academia, government, diplomacy, and the broader community to discuss issues shaping our region. We were particularly pleased to welcome participants of the Australia-Philippines Track 1.5 Maritime Dialogue.

On 1 September 2026, the ANU Philippines Institute and the Philippine Embassy in Australia co-hosted the public lecture ‘The South China Sea Arbitral Award: Evolving Post-Arbitration Strategies, Implications and Challenges’ at The Australian National University.

We thank Associate Professor Lowell Bautista of Western Sydney University for delivering an insightful and thought-provoking lecture marking the tenth anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.

The lecture highlighted the Award's enduring significance for United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and regional security, and the importance of translating its principles into action. It also considered the Award as a “legal compass’ for rules-based maritime order, peaceful dispute management and international cooperation. The event also provided an opportunity for meaningful engagement among members of the diplomatic community, government representatives, academics, students, and members of the public.

We are grateful to His Excellency Ambassador Antonio Morales for his opening remarks, to Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Donato Guzman of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs' Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office for his response, and to Mr Glenn Elson, Assistant Secretary of the Southeast Asia Strategy and Maritime Branch at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, for his closing reflections. We also thank Ms Carina Javier for chairing the lecture.

The Institute also hosted a roundtable discussion that brought together academics and policy experts to explore the role of universities in peacebuilding, diplomacy, and conflict mitigation in Southeast Asia, as well as perspectives on Australia's engagement in the region.

Together, these events highlighted the value of informed dialogue and cross-institutional collaboration in addressing shared regional challenges. We thank all attendees, partners, and supporters who contributed to the success of these events.