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Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh candidly shared his concerns about complicated developments and serious incidents that have occurred in the past in the South China Sea.
After the opening ceremony of the WMA-53 conference today (September 9), ASEAN Foreign Ministers met to discuss intra-regional cooperation, ASEAN external relations, as well as international and regional issues. same concern.
In a context of growing uncertainty in the world situation: epidemics, risk of economic recession, growing competition between the main countries … ASEAN reaffirms its firm commitment to maintaining a peaceful Southeast Asia. Stable, safe and neutral international law is highly respected.
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| The Ministers assessed that ASEAN continued to actively strengthen cooperation, maintain community building momentum, and effectively respond to the Covid-19 epidemic. |
The meeting agreed to continue efforts to implement initiatives, prioritizing the Five Presidents of ASEAN 2020, promoting cooperation in response to the Covid-19 epidemic, and preparing a comprehensive recovery plan after the pandemic.
The Ministers adopt the Five-Year Work Plan (2021-2025) of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the AICHR Priority Program 2021.
Regarding foreign relations, the Ministers agreed to recommend increasing the frequency of the ASEAN-Australia Summit from every two years to an annual one, granting development partnership status to Italy and France, and continuing to consider proposing to become a partner of full ASEAN dialogue.
The Ministers also approved measures to improve the processes and working methods of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
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| ASEAN Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. |
In debating regional and international issues, given the complicated developments in recent years, the Ministers agreed that ASEAN must persevere in a principled position, urging the parties to continue to restrain, not militarily. not use or threaten to use force, commit to the peaceful settlement of disputes and, at the same time, it is necessary to continue to respect international law, especially the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The meeting also reiterated the importance of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea, striving to build an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law and the Law Convention. sea.
In addition, ASEAN will continue to support Myanmar in resolving the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State, focusing on implementing projects to support repatriation work; reaffirming the position of support for the peaceful, stable Korean peninsula, without nuclear weapons, calling on the parties to resume dialogue.
The meeting agreed that ASEAN should continue its efforts to cooperate to address non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, transnational crime, maritime security, climate change, epidemics …
ASEAN countries welcomed Vietnam, ASEAN 2020 president, proposed and proactively implemented many initiatives, maintained and promoted coordination in both disease prevention and control and community building and strengthening . the central role of ASEAN.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Pham Binh Minh suggested that ASEAN make more efforts, cooperate to overcome difficulties and challenges, keep building community and fully implement priorities and initiatives.
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ASEAN needs to assess the general external relations, on that basis, build and adjust the criteria for considering the admission of a new dialogue partner.
Faced with changes and instabilities in the global and regional situation, including tensions and competition between major countries, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN strengthen solidarity, coordination of views and actions, based on agreed principles, including those contained in the 8/8/2020 Declaration on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia.
The Deputy Prime Minister frankly shared his concerns about complicated developments, serious cases that occurred during the time in the South China Sea, contrary to international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), in violation of rights and interests legitimate rights of coastal states, increasing tensions and damaging peace and security in the South China Sea.
The Deputy Prime Minister asked ASEAN to maintain solidarity and a principled position, in which it is necessary to continue defending compliance with international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, a framework that governs all activities in all maritime and ocean areas.
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Also taking place today was the Nuclear Weapons Free Southeast Asia Conference Committee (SEANWFZ) in the online form, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired the conference. The meeting reviewed compliance and implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty, and also discussed how to further promote this content in the future. In reviewing the implementation of the Action Plan for the Improvement of the SEANWFZ Treaty 2018-2022, the conference highlighted many activities that have been carried out by specialized agencies, as well as at the national level in areas such as ensuring nuclear safety and security, utilizing the atomic energy for peaceful purposes, enhance response capacity to radioactive incidents / disasters … Recalling their commitment to keep the Southeast Asian region free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, ASEAN countries and treaty members will continue to discuss and find measures to remove obstacles to nuclear weapons countries soon signed the Protocol of the Treaty. The meeting also agreed on many measures to promote SEANWFZ’s role and contribution to global efforts on non-proliferation and disarmament and other weapons of mass destruction, including promoting SEANWFZ at UN conferences and forums. |
Thanh Nam – Pham Hai
ASEAN Resolutely Resolves Disputes in the South China Sea Through International Law
ASEAN stands firm in the position of moderation and peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law in the face of threats to stability, security and safety, freedom of navigation, and overflight in the South China Sea.
