Hanoi, Oct. 8 -- The 18th international conference on the East Sea concluded in Hanoi on October 8, with experts stressing the need to strengthen international law, crisis-management mechanisms and practical cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the strategically important waterway.

Organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam under the theme "Contestation, Connectivity and Cooperation: The South China Sea and the Regional Maritime Order," the two-day conference brought together experts and policymakers to discuss challenges facing the region's maritime order.

Discussions focused on four major areas: managing disputes while upholding rules and preventing crises; protecting connectivity, freedom of navigation and infrastructur...