Vietnam - Philippines call for no threats or use of force in the East Sea

The President of Vietnam and the President of the Philippines agreed to maintain the role of ASEAN, calling on parties to resolve disputes in the East Sea according to international law.

President Tran Dai Quang (right) welcomed Philippine President Duterte today. Photo: Giang Huy

President Tran Dai Quang and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who are visiting Vietnam today, pledged to continue coordinating and working with other ASEAN countries to promote solidarity and the central role of ASEAN in the regional structure, and successfully implement the ASEAN Community, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

President Tran Dai Quang and President Duterte also called on relevant parties in the East Sea to fully respect diplomatic and legal processes, resolve disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of fundamental principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The two leaders called on all parties in the East Sea to exercise self-restraint, refrain from the threat or use of force, and commit to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight. They also reaffirmed their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and to work expeditiously towards the conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between ASEAN and China.

Regarding bilateral relations, Mr. Duterte affirmed that the Philippines values ​​and strengthens all-round relations with Vietnam, wishing to further deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries in the coming time.

The two leaders considered security and defense cooperation to be one of the important pillars of the strategic partnership between the two countries, and agreed to continue to effectively promote cooperation mechanisms, including the Deputy Defense Minister-level Policy Dialogue mechanism, to step up cooperation in training, research, and sharing of experiences in participating in the United Nations peacekeeping force.

President Tran Dai Quang and President Duterte also agreed to assign security agencies of both sides to increase information sharing, experience sharing and cooperation in the fight against all types of crime, terrorism, high-tech crime, drug crime and human trafficking.

Regarding the issue of Vietnamese fishermen arrested for illegal fishing, the President of Vietnam appreciated the Philippine President's decision to soon release all detained fishermen.

Referring to the direction of bilateral cooperation, the two leaders agreed to strengthen existing mechanisms such as the Foreign Minister-level Bilateral Cooperation Committee, the Joint Committee on Seas and Oceans, the Trade Subcommittee, the Defense Policy Dialogue, and the Joint Working Group on Fisheries.

According to VNE