Cambodian Deputy PM urges peaceful solution to East Sea disputes

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong has urged South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) claimants to solve disputes peacefully by following international laws.

Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong (third, right) meets Australian Ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang on October 1

During a meeting with Australian Ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang on October 1, he also expressed his hope that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China would reach an agreement on the Code of Conduct (COC) to prevent the disputes escalating, the Phnom Penh Post reported.

The Deputy PM said the South China Sea should be the "sea of peace and security", with freedom of navigation and overflight guaranteed.

“I hope that ASEAN and China will continue to negotiate to achieve a Code of Conduct in the near future. So far, the negotiation is nearly finished,” the Phnom Penh Post cited Namhong as saying.

He noted that as the Chair of ASEAN for the third time in 2022, Cambodia will prioritise strengthening ASEAN unity and ensuring peace and security in the region.

According to the Deputy PM, at the upcoming 2022 ASEAN summit, the regional bloc will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

"Now, 20 years have passed and all relevant parties are still demanding full respect for this DOC,” he said./.

VNA