At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular press briefing in Hanoi on Thursday, spokesperson Pham Thu Hang answered a question about Vietnam's expectations for the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-59) and related meetings currently in the Philippines.
She said: “ASEAN member states and their partners reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the outcomes of the 48th ASEAN Summit, accelerating the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision, advancing the priorities of the 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship, and exchanging views on regional and global issues of common concern, including the East Sea.”
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and dialogue partners stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, respect for international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), said Ms Hang.
ASEAN states and China reaffirmed their determination to conclude negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) this year.
