Dozens of fishing vessels dock in the shelter area of Vietnam's Da Tay A Reef (Photo: VNA) In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent, the expert said that the PCA’s ruling, issued on July 12, 2016, strongly refuted China’s groundless claims in the East Sea.
He believed that the verdict clarifies various matters in disputes in the East Sea, and has been recognised by a majority of the international community. To prevent ongoing violations in the East Sea, the international community needs to strongly support the ruling and asked the violator to comply with it.
Regarding the European Union (EU)’s viewpoint on disputes in the East Sea, Will said that the EU and its leading members consider Indo-Pacific an important region in terms of economy, and pay due attention to regional politics and security.
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on July 12 affirmed that Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes in the East Sea is clear and consistent.
Vietnam always backs the settlement of disputes regarding sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea through diplomatic and legal processes, without using force or threatening to use force, and by peaceful solutions and measures, in accordance with the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As a UNCLOS signatory and a coastal nation to the East Sea, Vietnam called on all concerned parties to respect and fully realise their legal obligations as stipulated in the convention, cooperate and actively and pragmatically contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and order in the East Sea in line with international law, Hang said./.
VNA
