The Czech Republic supports Vietnam’s stance of resolving the East Sea disputes by peaceful measures in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The statement was made by Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek at a meeting with Vietnamese ambassador to the Czech Republic Truong Manh Son in Prague on July 3.

Zaoralek said the Czech Republic does not support the use of force or threat to use force to handle territorial disputes in the East Sea.

Ambassador Son briefed his host on the current East Sea tension after China positioned its drilling rig deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

He noted that China’s move has seriously infringed upon Vietnam's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction as enshrined in the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Vietnam has repeatedly asked China to withdraw the drilling rig from Vietnam’s waters, but the latter failed to respond and it even dispatched more military ships, marine surveillance vessels and fishing boats to Vietnamese waters.

At the meeting, Minister Zaoralek spoke highly the friendship, reliable and traditional relations between the two countries, adding that both sides have huge potential for developing trade, tourism and investment.

He suggested that the Czech Republic and Vietnam should realise the results of the 4th meeting of their inter-governmental committee for economic cooperation taking place in Hanoi in May 2014.

At a regular session of the ASEAN Committee in Prague on June 26, Ambassador Son informed delegates about China’s aggressive infringement of Vietnamese sovereignty.

Participants at the event, including ambassadors of the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, agreed that all the disputes must be resolved peacefully in line with international law.