At the ministerial meetings between ASEAN and its partners

Mr. Minh made the remark at ministerial meetings between ASEAN and its partners - Australia, India, the European Union (EU), the Republic of Korea, and Canada - within the framework of the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-52) and related meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday.

The Deputy PM expressed his concern over complicated developments in the East Sea, including ongoing militarization activities and unilateral actions against international law and the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), saying they have eroded trust and caused negative impact on peace, security and stability in the region. Mr. Minh reiterated ASEAN’s stance, which emphasizes the importance of increasing trust, not militarizing, restraining and not using or threatening to use force as well as strictly abiding by international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and seriously and fully implementing the DOC and soon completing an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.

During a meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Deputy PM Minh said Vietnam attaches importance to the neighborliness with China. Mr. Minh reiterated Vietnam’s standpoint on the current maritime issues, saying that the two sides need to make efforts to maintain peace, stability and good control of disputes and not to have actions that complicate the situation, and resolve satisfactorily disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures on the basis of seriously obeying international law, including UNCLOS. Minister Wang said the Chinese Party and Government treasure ties with Vietnam and will spare no effort to maintain friendly relations between the two countries. He agreed to exchange views to address satisfactorily arising issues in the bilateral relationship.