Catherine West, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) (centre) and Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS) (right) at the first panel session of the 16th South China Sea International Conference. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NINH — The European Union and United Kingdom share security concerns over the worsening situation in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) and pledged their efforts to maintain peace and stability in this key sea lane.

Catherine West, Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the UK, underlined their commitment to advancing participation in conflict prevention, reduction and resolution reduction and resolution is unwavering in ASEAN, as well as globally.

The UK, unambiguously, wants a "free and open Indo Pacific, as collective global prosperity hinges on keeping the vital sea lanes in the South China Sea open, or the East Sea as how Việt Nam called it", she stated at the 16th South China Sea International Conference held in Quảng Ninh Province, Việt Nam, on October 24.

"Our shared security interests also demand that we stand up for principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity through the international legal framework that protects these principles, for example, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). But it's not just the Indo-Pacific, undermining international law in a situation in any context has the potential to corrode the wider system of global governance and affect security and prosperity."

She cited the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which she noted can be hardly achieved without peace and security spurring on economic growth, and all of that relies heavily on having stable seas where the rule of law is upheld.

She expressed concerns over "a serious and sustained series of incidents representing one of the sharpest tensions," including the conflict between China and the Philippines, as well as the Chinese law enforcement's attacking of Vietnamese fishermen leaving them seriously injured.

"The great risk of instability and escalation that these incidents pose is a significant concern for the international community, not just because of the impact it would have on global prosperity and security, but also on livelihoods and local biodiversity."

"That's why the UK has and will continue to protest about any action which threatens peace and stability or seeks to undermine the primacy of UNCLOS. Keeping the South China Sea safe is our priority, and the only way we can achieve that is by working together with partners," the UK Indo-Pacific Minister highlighted.

She also mentioned the crucial aspects of climate and nature with regards to security and prosperity, including the loss of the natural ecosystem and rising sea levels risk leading to worsening maritime disputes. On this front, the UK wishes to work with Việt Nam and partners on clean energy, evidenced by the Just Energy Transition Partnership with Indonesia and Việt Nam, Minister Catherine said.

The UK is working transparently with partners to develop inclusive global norms and standards for the responsible and ethical use of technology and artificial intelligence, including in maritime contexts.

Minister Catherine also revealed that next year, the UK will hold the third regional maritime security symposium in Southeast Asia to discuss maritime issues with Asia Pacific partners.

The EU is also having vested security interests in maintaining an open Indo-Pacific, according to Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS).

"First, our economic health is directly at stake. Around a third of European Union maritime goods imports and a quarter of our exports go through the South China Sea. Disrupting the freedom of navigation affects global supply chains, trade routes, and access to key markets. It also affects the energy supply and our access to resources, and in short, it affects the entire global economy," Niclas noted.

"Secondly, and crucially, stability and security. That affects international peace and security, because we live in a geo-politically contested time, where norms and the very UN Charter and its principles are contested in both our regions. So this is about the health of our global governance system," he added.

The expert said that the EU is concerned to see the "growing number of dangerous incidents taking place in the South China Sea, putting lives in danger and violating the freedom of navigation overflight to which nations are entitled under international law."

He laid out the EU's principle, which is that international law with UNCLOS at the core, including the 2016 arbitral ruling, must govern maritime issues.

"We condemn any unilateral actions that heighten tensions and undermine international such dangerous actions, encompassing land reclamation and construction of military infrastructure in disputed areas, the use of maritime militias and provocative manoeuvers in close proximity to other actors and assets, not only endangered maritime security, but also disrupted commercial traffic."

"The EU calls for de-escalation of tensions and remains committed to supporting its partners and seeking to exercise their legitimate rights in the region and beyond," the EU foreign service official noted, underlining UNCLOS as the guiding compass towards resolution of disputes.

The EU remains convinced that "mutually acceptable resolutions to these disputes can be found peacefully and through dialogues and diplomacy bilaterally and also through multilateral platforms."

"Việt Nam is showing us the way with exclusive economic zone and continental shelf delimitation agreements reached with Malaysia and Indonesia concluded in 2022, and the increased contacts and cooperation between Việt Nam and the Philippines in recent months," he observed.

"We also stand firmly behind the ASEAN-led process working towards an effective, substantive and legally binding Code of Conduct. The code must respect the interests of third parties, be in line with international law, especially UNCLOS."

The EU is also intensifying our bilateral cooperation with ASEAN members in resilience and strength and Coast Guard capabilities.

"As a global community, we face challenging times, and relying on international law and the international legal order gives us the support that we need to work together to find solutions. And none of us can do this by ourselves," he said. — VNS