Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held talks with visiting Philippine Minister of Foreign Affairs Albert F. del Rosario in Hanoi on July 2.

The two sides discussed measures to actively realise agreements reached during Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to the Philippines from May 21-22.

They agreed to hold the first meeting of the joint committee led by the two foreign ministries in the third quarter of this year and promote bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, security, defence, economics, agriculture, food security, fisheries, culture, education and tourism.

Both sides highly valued the significance of the implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements and mechanisms, including those on sea, ocean, and fisheries cooperation.

Deputy PM Minh thanked the Philippine side for its active support and assistance for the release and repatriation of Vietnamese fishermen who were detained in the waters of the Philippines.

Regarding the regional and global situation, the two sides exchanged views on ASEAN cooperation and the East Sea issue.

They affirmed to continue joining efforts with ASEAN countries in successfully building the ASEAN Community, esteem the unity and promote the central role of the association in regional collaboration and the evolving regional architecture.

ASEAN should demonstrate a united and responsible voice over important issues in the region, including the East Sea issue, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region, they stressed.

Amid China’s unilateral illegal acts in the East Sea, including the placement of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, the two sides reiterated the importance of seriously complying with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed between ASEAN and China in 2002, which highlight principles on exercising restraint, solving disputes by peaceful means and no use of or threat to use of force.

They spoke highly of ASEAN’s active role in and contributions to ensuring peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety in the East Sea.

They also highlighted the importance of the May 10, 2014 Statement of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the East Sea, which demanded an end to violations of international law and the DOC, and the exercise of restraint to ease tensions and not further complicate the situation.

The statement urged the full and serious implementation of the DOC in parallel with speeding up practical discussions for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduction in the East Sea (COC).

PM welcomes Philippine Foreign Minister

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hosted a reception in Hanoi on July 2 for Philippine Foreign Minister Albert F. del Rosario.

At the meeting, the Philippine FM said his visit aims to deploy initiatives and agreement reached during Dung’s visit to the Philippines on May 21-22.

He discussed in depth with PM Dung measures to consolidate and deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in politics, economics, security, defence, agriculture, fisheries and education.

PM Dung urged the two countries to take more efforts to lift bilateral ties to a new height towards a strategic partnership, and asked the two foreign ministries to work together to achieve that goal.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the guest said that the recent aggressive and inhumane acts of China in violation of international law are worsening the East Sea situation.

In particular, China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig in Vietnam’s waters in early May as well as its use of force and threat to use force against Vietnamese law enforcement forces and fishermen have seriously infringed international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), FM Rosario said.

According to him, these acts aim to assert and realise the “nine-dot line” illegally claimed by China and expand its illegal sovereignty in reality.

He noted that the Philippines has and will continue coordinating with the international community to take measures and actions to force China to abide by international law.

For his part, PM Dung said that nations holding sovereignty over the East Sea and ASEAN member countries have no other way than to unite in the fight to stop China’s violations of international law and other countries’ sovereignty, even bringing the case to international tribunals.

He also stressed the need to call on the international community to raise their voice in opposing China’s acts and demanding China immediately stop all aggressive acts and violations of international law and the DOC, seriously abide by the DOC and work with ASEAN towards the forming of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

VNA/VNS/VNN