Vietnam continues to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea

On the afternoon of June 7, in Chongqing City, China, a special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held to mark the 30th anniversary of the partnership (1991-2021). Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the meeting. This is the first in-person meeting at the Foreign Ministers' level organized by ASEAN after the Covid-19 outbreak.

Sharing positive assessments of the significant developments over the past three decades, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed the high commitment of both sides to attach importance to and make joint efforts to promote the ASEAN-China strategic partnership to further develop, on the basis of mutual benefit, respect and understanding, contributing to peace, stability and prosperous development in the region as well as in the world.

The conference noted that through active exchanges and contacts at all levels and effective coordination in regional dialogue and cooperation mechanisms chaired by ASEAN, political trust has been consolidated and friendly neighborly relations have been cultivated. Economic cooperation has witnessed very dynamic progress. Two-way trade turnover in 30 years has increased 80 times, making China and ASEAN each other's number 1 trade partners. Spanning a wide range of areas from investment, connectivity, digital economic development, innovation... to cultural exchange, people-to-people exchange, development cooperation, and response to transnational challenges, cooperation between ASEAN and China has witnessed very encouraging results.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers recognized that the ASEAN-China partnership is one of ASEAN’s most dynamic, substantive and effective partnerships. ASEAN also highly appreciated China’s timely and effective cooperation during difficult and challenging times, especially in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For China, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that ASEAN has always been a high priority in China's foreign policy. China consistently attaches importance to friendly neighborly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN, wishes to bring its strategic partnership with ASEAN to a new level, and supports ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture.

Looking to the future, the ASEAN and Chinese Foreign Ministers shared many important development orientations for bilateral relations, agreeing to give high priority to promoting cooperation in controlling Covid-19 and promoting recovery. China affirmed to continue to step up the supply of vaccines to ASEAN countries, supporting ASEAN in improving its capacity in vaccine research, development, production and distribution. China will also actively cooperate with ASEAN to promote recovery through implementing the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, facilitating trade and investment, effectively utilizing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), and soon bringing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) into effect. The two sides will continue to expand sustainable development cooperation in the spirit of the 2021 cooperation theme between ASEAN and China.

To practically celebrate the 30th anniversary of the partnership, ASEAN and China agreed to closely coordinate to effectively implement commemorative activities between the two sides, preparing the best results for the ASEAN-China Commemorative Summit at the end of 2021.

Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, the conference affirmed that maintaining a peaceful, secure and stable environment in the region, including in the East Sea, is the common concern and interest of both ASEAN and China. The Ministers welcomed the 19th ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) held right before the Ministerial Conference. The Ministers pledged to continue to fully and effectively implement the DOC, and resume the negotiation process to build an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Regarding the situation in Myanmar, China welcomed the results of the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on April 24, 2021, supported ASEAN's role in promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and supported Myanmar in finding solutions to stabilize the situation.

Regarding the world and regional situation, Minister Bui Thanh Son highlighted the importance of efforts between ASEAN and China to maintain an environment of peace, security, stability, and the rule of law in the region, through responsible actions and goodwill cooperation, restraint, and peaceful settlement of disputes and differences. The Minister affirmed that Vietnam will continue to work with ASEAN countries and China to fully and effectively implement the DOC Declaration and build an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

Minister Bui Thanh Son shared that as members of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN countries will continue to support Myanmar in finding long-term solutions to stabilize the situation, ensure safety and stabilize people's lives; and hope that China will actively support ASEAN's efforts./.