UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan addresses the 15th East Sea Conference in HCM City on Wednesday. — VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The United Kingdom remains committed to strengthening collaboration with Việt Nam and ASEAN partners to help address the tensions in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea), UK Minister for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said on Thursday.

Addressing the 15th East Sea Conference hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam in HCM City under the theme of "Luminate the Grey, Light up the Green", she reiterated the UK's support for the Southeast Asia region, an area of geopolitical importance, and also for Việt Nam, with which the UK is celebrating 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

"We are a close partner with Việt Nam on maritime security, and we remain committed to strengthening that long standing collaboration," she said.

Nearly 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes through the South China Sea, the UK minister underscored, which makes it "vital" that all parties "enjoy the same freedoms to navigate and exercise" in this important waterway.

She pointed out the huge consequences that came about when supply chains are disrupted by conflict, saying that rising energy and food prices are harming the world's most vulnerable people, and the UK is "committed to avoiding any such outcome in this region."

"We seek to preserve a free and open Indo Pacific. We want to deepen relationships with our partners, support sustainable development, and tackle the shared challenges that we face."

Specifically, in the case of the East Sea, it means supporting stability and working together on climate change, establishing and maintaining open lines of communication because this is the most effective way of managing tensions. Failing to do so will cause risks escalation.

"As the UK deepens its long term partnership with Việt Nam and others in the Indo Pacific, we are committed to helping you to de-escalate tensions and to maintain that all-important stability," Trevelyan said, highlighting the UK's "unwavering commitment" to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

She said the UK "takes no sides" in the sovereignty disputes in the East Sea, but "opposes any activity that undermines or threatens uncross his authority, including attempts to legitimise incompatible maritime claims."

"The UK considers UNCLOS as the arbiter and the place with which we would like to see every country bring forward disputes," she noted, adding the UK will respect UNCLOS decisions.

The UK minister, on the occasion, called out the recent instances of "unsafe conduct" against Vietnamese and Filipino vessels, which has demonstrated the serious risks posed to regional peace and stability.

"We will support our partners to shine a light on this so-called grey-zone activity that creates tensions and risks escalation," she said, recalling the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award in the Philippines vs China case is a significant milestone in resolving disputes peacefully.

She extolled the central role ASEAN has played in maintaining regional stability and prosperity, and said the UK is looking forward to working with ASEAN on advancing the Indo-Pacific Outlook, with maritime cooperation a key pillar.

The UK official also said there is a strong need for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea that is consistent with UNCLOS and reflects the interests and guarantees the rights and freedoms of all parties, including third-party countries.

The UK wants to see a sea of conflict become a sea of cooperation, she said, urging for urgent cooperation on environmental degradation, with pressures on fish stock, the destruction of the marine environments and rising sea levels posing an "existential threat to the millions of people who rely on the East Sea for their livelihoods."

Minister Trevelyan also mentioned a ream of projects that the UK has been launching to help protect the sea for future generations, including Just Energy Transition Partnerships signed with Việt Nam and Indonesia to encourage the early retirement of high emitting coal fired power stations, investment in renewable energy; the Blue Planet fund designed to help vulnerable coastal communities in the region and to tackle plastic pollution; funding of two and a half million pounds on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, among others. — VNS