Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the East Sea is the spirit emphasized by the leaders of Vietnam, Australia and ASEAN at recent high-level exchanges in Melbourne.

Đối tác chiến lược toàn diện Việt Nam - Australia khẳng định cam kết đối với hòa bình, an ninh, ổn định tại Biển Đông

Vietnam and Australia emphasized respect for international law, including UNCLOS 1982, in the East Sea. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Any set of Rules must be substantive.

During the official visit to Australia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (March 7-9), the two countries agreed to upgrade their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The commitment to peace, security and stability in the East Sea was emphasized by the two countries in the Joint Statement on upgrading the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Australia.

"The two sides expressed their concerns over the developments in the South China Sea and reaffirmed their commitment to peace, security, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, respect for diplomatic and legal processes, and the resolution of disputes, including those in the South China Sea, by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two sides reaffirmed that the Convention provides the comprehensive legal framework for all activities at sea and in the oceans," the Joint Statement said.

At the same time, Vietnam and Australia continue to call for full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and any Code of Conduct in the East Sea must be substantive, effective, consistent with international law, especially UNCLOS, and not prejudice the rights of other countries under international law.

In addition, in the spirit of the Joint Statement, the two countries will continue to cooperate closely in bilateral, trilateral and multilateral frameworks to support institutions towards an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The two sides are committed to the common goal of strengthening and developing regional, sub-regional and international institutions to promote common political, economic and security interests as well as to address regional and international issues of mutual concern. The two sides will encourage parties in the region to pursue dialogue as a first step to build trust, de-escalate tensions, and take positive steps to maintain an environment that prevents conflicts.

Vietnam and Australia recognise ASEAN's central role in regional stability and prosperity, and support ASEAN's centrality and solidarity in an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture, underpinned by international law.

ASEAN and Australian leaders agreed that more than ever, there is a need to promote a culture of dialogue and cooperation, build trust and prevent conflicts. (Photo: Tuan Anh)

Cooperation to ensure peace is an important task.

Earlier, speaking at the Special Summit to celebrate 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations on the morning of March 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need to strengthen political trust and cooperation to ensure regional peace and security, considering this an important and regular task.

"In the context of many challenges in the regional situation, we need to promote the culture of dialogue and cooperation, promote trust building based on rules and preventive diplomacy, encourage major countries to make responsible contributions to the region, including maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the East Sea, and from there we can together solve global and regional issues related to Australia," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed.

Within the framework of this Conference, the countries also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea; peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982); calling for the full implementation of the DOC Declaration, the early establishment of an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS 1982, making the East Sea a sea of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

"We recognise the benefits of the South China Sea being a sea of peace, stability and prosperity. We encourage all countries to avoid any unilateral actions that undermine peace, security and stability in the region," said a joint statement by ASEAN and Australian leaders after the summit. At the same time, ASEAN and Australian leaders called for a "rules-based" order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Assessing that the world and regional situation continues to develop complicatedly; instability and conflicts are increasing in many places, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Gaza Strip, the Red Sea, the East Sea, the Korean Peninsula, etc., ASEAN and Australian leaders agreed that more than ever, it is necessary to promote the culture of dialogue and cooperation, build trust and prevent conflicts, the role of international law and multilateralism in behavior and in cooperation to deal with common challenges.

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