Striving to build East Sea into a sea of peace and stability

• Vietnam welcomes countries’ standpoints on East Sea issue: Spokesperson
• Vietnam welcomes East Sea stance in line with law: Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 15 chaired the 11th ASEAN-United Nations Summit via video conference, with the participation of leaders from the ASEAN member states, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi.

Regarding international and regional situations, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of national responsibility in building peace, maintaining stability, ensuring security and safety in the region, especially in the context of COVID-19 which is a big threat to the socio-economic life of other countries.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres speaking at the event.

The two sides affirmed their shared visions and commitment to the common goals of upholding international law, promoting multilateralism, and building a rules-based regional and international order.

The Summit emphasized the goal of striving to build East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, security, and safety, ready to promote dialogue and confidence-building and carry out preventive diplomacy in the region under the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and UNCLOS 1982. 

In this regard, the meeting called for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC), the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)consistent with international law, UNCLOS 1982, serving as a framework for all activities at sea.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized Viet Nam's position in line with the ASEAN’s principles agreed upon in the 36th ASEAN Summit in June 2020, the 53rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in September 2020, and this 37th ASEAN Summit to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, and cooperation. 

On behalf of ASEAN, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of self-restraint in the conduct of all activities that could further complicate the situation and escalate tensions in the East Sea, non-militarization and peaceful resolution of disputes under international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS; committed to fully and effectively implement the DOC and continued efforts to achieve an effective and substantive COC under international law, including UNCLOS 1982.