Workshop seeks intensified dialogue to reduce East Sea tensions

Vietnam once again affirmed it has full historical and legal evidence for its sovereignty claim over islands in the East Sea at the 25th annual workshop on constraining latent conflicts in the East Sea, which opened in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 13.

Head of the Vietnam delegation Nguyen Minh Nguyet, who is deputy director of the Department of International Law and Treaty under the Foreign Ministry, said that Vietnam is worried about recent developments in the region, especially reef constructions and actions that change the status quo of several structures in the sea.

These actions cause serious impacts on the environment and bio-diversity, while threatening peace, stability and security in the region, she added.

She also spoke highly of the outcomes of the October meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), during which the two sides agreed to start discussions on main components of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

During the two-day workshop, participants are expected to hear reports on the progress of cooperation projects, which aim to intensify cooperation among the parties to reduce tension in the East Sea.

Held annually since 1990, the workshop has created a forum for 10 ASEAN nations, China and China’s Taiwan to boost dialogue and carry out cooperation projects to minimise tensions.

On November 12, the Working Group on the Study of Sea Level Change and Their Impacts on Coastal Environment in the East Sea Affected by Potential Climate Change convened its 11th meeting.

Participants discussed and shared information about scientific applications, including a sea forecast system and a coastal, oceanic, and bio-diversity preservation integrated management system in the East Sea.

VNA