HANOI, June 27 (dpa): Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Friday condemned actions creating instability in South-East Asia, without directly naming China, during his remarks at Friday's opening of the 36th Aseam Summit, which was being held online.
"While the whole world is struggling to fight the epidemic, there are irresponsible actions that violate international laws, affecting the security and stability in some areas, including our region," Phuc told fellow South-East Asian leaders from Hanoi.
Phuc did not directly mention China's recent actions in the South China Sea but Vietnam has been critical in the past of Beijing's provocative acts in the disputed waters.
China has announced it is establishing "governed" administrative districts for the contested Spratly and Paracel Islands. It has also sunk Vietnamese fishing vessels.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territory and has built artificial islands with military-capable facilities over reefs and outcrops in the area, which is also claimed in part by Vietnam.
Phuc said the Association of South East Asian Nation must improve "mechanisms for dialogue, cooperating to build trust, and reinforcing an open, transparent and rules-based order."
He also called on Asean and China to strictly comply to the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and work to establish an effective Code of Conduct (COC) in line with international law.
The code of conduct is an Asean agreement the member states have been working on in response to China’s aggressive territorial claims. - dpa
"While the whole world is struggling to fight the epidemic, there are irresponsible actions that violate international laws, affecting the security and stability in some areas, including our region," Phuc told fellow South-East Asian leaders from Hanoi.
Phuc did not directly mention China's recent actions in the South China Sea but Vietnam has been critical in the past of Beijing's provocative acts in the disputed waters.
China has announced it is establishing "governed" administrative districts for the contested Spratly and Paracel Islands. It has also sunk Vietnamese fishing vessels.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territory and has built artificial islands with military-capable facilities over reefs and outcrops in the area, which is also claimed in part by Vietnam.
Phuc said the Association of South East Asian Nation must improve "mechanisms for dialogue, cooperating to build trust, and reinforcing an open, transparent and rules-based order."
He also called on Asean and China to strictly comply to the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and work to establish an effective Code of Conduct (COC) in line with international law.
The code of conduct is an Asean agreement the member states have been working on in response to China’s aggressive territorial claims. - dpa
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