Singapore supports Vietnam’s stance on UNCLOS-based settling of South China Sea disputes

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Linh Pham 11:52, 2019/08/16

Singapore`s stance on the South China Sea shows its sense of responsibility and active role towards regional peace.

Vietnam highly appreciates Singapore’s stance on South China Sea issues, which is supporting the settlement of disputes on the basis of the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Photo: Vietnam Foreign Ministry

Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung and Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Photo: Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Singapore’s stance has been revealed at the 12th Vietnam- Singapore Political Consultation held in the island state on August 14.

The two sides underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of maritime and air navigation in the South China Sea (SCS), local media reported.

They also urged the concerned parties to exercise self-restraint, not threaten to use or use force, settle disputes by peaceful means in respect of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and expedite negotiations to soon finalize an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law.

Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said Singapore’s stance on SCS issues demonstrate its sense of responsibility and active role towards peace and stability in the region, as well as the solidarity and strength of the ASEAN Community.

Discussions for deepened ties

At the Politic Consultation, Dung and Permanent Secretary of the Singaporean Foreign Ministry Chee Wee Kiong discussed bilateral ties alongside regional and international issues of shared concerns.

They agreed upon specific measures to enhance the cooperation through mutual visits and meetings while maintaining consultation mechanisms for multifaceted ties.

The Vietnamese diplomat called for greater joint efforts to promote the two economies’ complementarity, provide more favorable conditions for Vietnamese and Singaporean goods to enter each other’s markets, and effectively realize the commitments under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary Chee expected to bolster cooperation in security, agricultural product trading, tourism, people-to-people exchange, and especially the new and important spheres of Industry 4.0 in startup, smart city, financial technology, and cyber security.

Singapore is currently the 3rd biggest foreign investor in Vietnam with more than 2,000 projects worth roughly US$50 billion.

Notably, the nine Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks (VSIP) have remarkably contributed to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and generated huge economic benefits for Singaporean businesses, they said.

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