Vietnam calls on China to preserve peace in South China Sea

By Emre Aytekin

BEIJING (AA) — Vietnam's President To Lam made a call Sunday for the preservation of peace in the South China Sea during a meeting with China's visiting Premier Li Qiang.

During the meeting, Lam said it was essential for the parties to keep the situation under control and find effective methods and solutions to resolve disputes through high-level and direct contacts between the relevant authorities, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Lam emphasized that the two neighboring countries should advance their cooperation in line with the level of their bilateral relations and international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,

He underlined the importance of maintaining stability and peace in the South China Sea.

Last week, Vietnam expressed its discomfort with the Chinese Coast Guard's use of force to block Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea.

- No mention of South China Sea in China's statement

In the statements made by China regarding the meeting, there was a focus on bilateral relations, while no mention was made of the disputes in the South China Sea.

Li stated that China is ready to work together to deepen strategic communication, coordination, and solidarity, and to build a "community with a shared future" with Vietnam by advancing traditional friendship," Beijing-based Xinhua News reported.

During Li's meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh, it was noted that both parties agreed to remain committed to friendly consultation in managing differences appropriately and develop cooperation in maritime areas.

- South China Sea dispute

The South China Sea has been at the center of sovereignty disputes between countries in the region since the end of World War II, when coastal nations started gaining independence.

China claimed sovereignty over 80% of the South China Sea for the first time in a map published in 1947. Besides Beijing, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia also claim rights over the region, which is rich in underwater resources.

In addition to regional countries, the US opposes China's construction of military bases and the presence of civilian fleets on disputed islands in the region.

In a 2016 ruling following an application by the Philippines, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that Beijing's unilateral sovereignty claims in the South China Sea were not legally valid.