Vietnam values peace, stability in South China Sea: UN ambassador

At the 32nd Meeting of States Parties to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Ambassador Giang, head of the Vietnamese delegation at the U.N., said the peace and development of the region and the international community are tied to the maintenance of peace, security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Vietnam calls the waters the East Sea.

Vietnam affirmed that the maintenance of peace, security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is necessary due to its position of strategic importance. Giang reaffirmed that the UNCLOS is a legal framework for all activities at sea, and is also the only legal basis to comprehensively determine countries’ sea rights.

Giang stressed the importance of abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea and called for all conflicts to be resolved through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, without the use of force or threat of force.

He also shared challenges at sea, for example the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the ocean, including the exacerbation of existing issues, including climate change, rising sea levels and biodiversity.

He said international cooperation on the basis of UNCLOS is important to tackle these challenges, adding that adequate attention regarding financial support, technology transference and capacity building for developing nations was essential.