Land reclamation that is underway in the East Vietnam Sea may undermine peace, security and stability in the sea area, ASEAN leaders expressed their concerns in a statement. The 26th ASEAN Summit on Monday issued the Chairman’s Statement covering the bloc’s global and regional concerns, including the East Vietnam Sea issue, according to the Vietnam News Agency. 

In the statement, ASEAN leaders expressed their serious worries about the land reclamation being undertaken in the East Vietnam Sea, which they said has eroded trust and confidence and may affect peace and stability in the sea.

These leaders said they have instructed their countries’ foreign ministers to resolve this matter under the various ASEAN frameworks such as ASEAN-China relations, as well as the principle of peaceful co-existence.

They also reiterated in the statement the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in and over-flight over the East Vietnam Sea. “We emphasized the need for all parties to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea, and not to resort to threat or use of force,” the statement said. All the parties concerned should resolve their disputes through peaceful means, in accordance with international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, according to the statement. The ASEAN leaders also agreed that consultations should be step up so that an effective Code of Conduct in the East Vietnam Sea (COC) can be made available as soon as possible.

The ASEAN bloc includes 10 member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!