Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu on July 12 issued a statement calling on relevant sides to comply with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)’s ruling in settling disputes in the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a central role to play in the settlement of East Sea issues, with the international norms and behaviours being stated in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), wrote a recent article published on the news site Latestmalaysia.com.
The East Sea plays a vital role in Vietnam’s defence, security, and economy. The Vietnamese Party and State have issued important policies on East Sea issues, to protect the country’s independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, maintain a peaceful environment, and ensure security, social order, and safety for national construction and defence.
Malaysia is firm with its stance that matters relating to the East Sea (known as the South China Sea internationally) must be resolved peacefully and constructively, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on November 12.
A delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) led by Nguyen Xuan Thang, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee (CPVCC), held working sessions with Japanese officials on December 5 and 6.
Vietnam should make greater efforts to get stronger support from the international community in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) issues and hold more activities similar to South China Sea International Conferences, a leading foreign expert has suggested.
Russia’s “Multipolar world” newspaper has run an article saying many countries, including partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), support Vietnam’s viewpoint in addressing the East Sea issues.
Delegates to the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-52) in Bangkok on July 31 discussed the building of the ASEAN Community and foreign relations, and reviewed preparations for year-end summits, as well as exchanged ideas on international and regional issues of common concern.
Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has affirmed China's consistent stance of attaching importance to ASEAN's central role and the country’s support for the bloc's efforts in building its Community.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks in Hanoi on September 13 with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on the occasion of the latter’s participation in the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN) 2018. The talks followed the 10th session of the Vietnam – Japan Cooperation Committee co-chaired by the two.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 12 met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is paying a state visit to Vietnam and attending the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN) 2018.
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with his counterparts from New Zealand, the US, China and the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on August 7
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his delight at the growing relations between Vietnam and Malaysia during a reception for visiting Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman in Hanoi on July 27.
There is a firm basis for ASEAN helping settle disputes involving several of its member states and China in the East Sea, said Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
Polish Deputy Marshal of the Sejm (lower house) Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska said her country and other EU member states support Vietnam and ASEAN in carrying out peaceful measures.
Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on June 4 urged ASEAN claimants to the East Sea to first resolve their differences in regional maritime disputes.
Malaysia and China have agreed to address East Sea-related issues through the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and to speed up the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.