Thirty-seven years ago today, 64 soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy bravely sacrificed their lives in the depths of the sea to defend Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea. Their sacrifice in Gac Ma battle remains etched in history, serving as a lasting reminder to the Vietnamese people of their duty to safeguard the nation’s maritime sovereignty and build a strong military force.
Vietnam has officially presented the Submission of its extended continental shelf, in respect of Central Area of the East Sea (South China Sea), to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on March 1 agreed to bolster the two countries’ political and security cooperation and emphasised the importance of maintaining peace in the East Sea (also known as South China Sea).
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has filed a diplomatic protest against China’s unilateral imposition of a fishing moratorium in the East Sea (known in the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea and internationally as the South China Sea).
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said his country and Indonesia share the view that the East Sea (internationally called the South China Sea) issue must be resolved through the diplomatic channel with respect for international law.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has affirmed his country's consistent position that issues concerning the East Sea (internationally called South China Sea) must be managed in a peaceful and rational manner through dialogue and consultations, utilising appropriate forums and diplomatic channels.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong has urged South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) claimants to solve disputes peacefully by following international laws.
Australia and the US underlined the importance of countries’ ability to exercise their maritime rights and freedoms in the South China Sea (called East Sea in Vietnam), consistent with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight and other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms.
Foreign ministers of ASEAN countries and Japan agreed on the importance of freedom of navigation in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea) during their virtual meeting on August 3.
The international community has long benefited from the rules-based maritime order, where international law, as reflected in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), sets out the legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Philippine counterpart Hermogenes Esperon had phone talks on March 31 during which they expressed their shared concerns over Chinese activities in the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Vietnam), the White House said.
Four ministers from Japan and the UK on February 3 voiced serious concern about the situation in the East Sea (South China Sea) and East China Sea and opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, according to Reuters.
German federal parliament Bundestag’s Committee on Foreign Affairs has hosted a webinar on East Sea issues, with representatives of Vietnamese associations and experts in Germany in attendance.
Defence foreign policy has now become more critical than ever, as it plays an important role in creating a strategic enabling environment for both national defence and construction, especially in the maritime space.
The disputes in the East Sea (South China Sea) need to be resolved by the concerned parties, with cooperation of the international community as well as the region, said a Vietnamese expert.
The 12th South China Sea International Conference, with the theme “Maintaining Peace and Cooperation through a Time of Turbulence”, kicked off on November 16 in both the in-person and online formats.
Many international maritime routes pass through the East Sea, making it the world’s second-busiest shipping lane in terms of commercial activities, after the Mediterranean. The sea, however, has been threatened with potential instability from frequent piracy, while sovereignty disputes over islands are becoming more complex.
