Vietnamese soldiers patrolling on the An Bang (Amboyna Cay) island in Việt Nam's Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Đức

HÀ NỘI — All countries need to respect and fulfil obligations under international law, especially the 1982 United Nations’ Convention on the Law of the Sea, to maintain peace and freedom in the sea.

The remark was made by Deputy Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng on December 10, in response to queries from reporters for comments on the 40th signing anniversary of the 1982 UNCLOS, which is considered to be Constitution for the Oceans.

The birth of the 1982 UNCLOS is an important event, of great significance for the progressive development of international law in general, and maritime laws in particular, Hằng noted.

For the past 40 years, the Convention has always served as a full, comprehensive international legal framework and the legal basis for all activities of management and use of seas and oceans, she said.

The deputy spokesperson said: “In the spirit of rule of law, being a responsible member of the international community, and an active member of the 1982 UNCLOS, Việt Nam always upholds the principles and goals of the Convention, strictly complies with and implements the Convention, persistently resolves disputes at sea by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS; actively participates in and contributes many initiatives to activities within the framework of institutions established under the Convention, and these efforts are recognised by the international community.”

At the same time, Việt Nam has also stepped up efforts to improve the domestic legal system on the management and use of the sea on the basis of conformity with the Convention, and to promote international cooperation at sea on the basis of the provisions of the Convention and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, according to Hằng.

Việt Nam emphasised that countries needed to continue to respect and fully implement their obligations under the Convention and international law, work together, and make active and practical contributions to the upholding of the laws and the maintenance of peace, stability, legal order at sea, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and promotion of sustainable development of seas and oceans, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson said.

The UNCLOS was adopted on December 10, 1982 and took effect on November 16, 1994. Việt Nam was one of the first 107 countries to sign and ratify the convention. — VNS