Ambassador Vu Ho speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Quang Ninh (VNA) – The 20th ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementationof the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea (SOM-DOC)was held in the northern province of Quang Ninh on May 17 after nearly twoyears of hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier, member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened a meeting to coordinate their stances.
Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, led aVietnamese delegation to the meetings.
Delegates to the 20th SOM-DOC. (Photo: VNA) The 20th SOM-DOC was co-chaired by Myanmar, coordinator ofASEAN-China ties, and China.
Speakingat the event, Ho stressed that as the East Sea is a crucial maritimeroute of the world, hence maintaining and promoting peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in this sea is not only theshared interest and responsibility of ASEAN and China but also reflects theirresponsibility towards the international community.
Given the complex situation and ongoing unilateral actionsthat violate international law in the East Sea, the ambassador suggested that countries should combine "words with deeds" by translating politicalcommitments into specific and appropriate actions in the field.
In such spirit, he highlighted the need to use internationallaw and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a “lodestar”for activities in the East Sea.
While striving to achieve a Code of Conduct inthe East Sea (COC) that is practical, effective and conformable withinternational law and the 1982 UNCLOS, and supported by the international community, Ho said countries must seriously and fully abide by all the provisions of the DOC. Theseefforts will contribute to creating a favourable environment for COCnegotiations, he added.
Delegates attending the event spoke highly of positive results inthe DOC implementation over the past time. They urged ASEAN and China toseriously, fully and effectively observe all the provisions of the DOC.
They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace,stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the EastSea while respecting principles such as exercising self-restraint, refrainingfrom the use or threat to use force, and peacefully settling disputes in linewith international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.
The 20th SOM-DOC acknowledged progress in the COC negotiationsand discussed orientations to the process carried out by the Joint WorkingGroup on the DOC (JWG DOC).
The countries emphasised the need to achieve an effective and practical COC that is conformable with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, contributingto trust building and more efficient management of incidents in the East Sea.
The participants agreed to hold the 21st SOM-DOC in China in the fourth quarter of 2023./.
