The Hanoitimes – Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has warned the territorial dispute in the East Sea will disrupt the large flow of cargo transportation across the sea, and may reverse the course of the global economic recovery.
And, he added, the move directly threatened navigation in the East Sea, through which half of the world’s cargo was carried.
The PM said East Asia should make moves to maintain its rapid and sustainable growth, adding that it was facing many challenges, despite recent dynamic development.
He said Viet Nam had two main driving forces, international integration and internal reform, adding that there were plenty of opportunities for foreign investors to explore.
The Vietnamese leader said peace and stability were crucial for development, including peace, security, safety and maritime freedom in the East Sea region.
He briefed the meeting on the recent tension in the East Sea, describing it as critically serious. He said China on May 1, 2014 placed its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea prescribed in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China has so far deployed a total of more than 130 vessels, including military ships, and airplanes to the area to protect its oil rig.
This is a serious violation of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) to which China is a signatory, Dung said, adding this act directly threatens peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.
Viet Nam had exercised utmost restraint, showed goodwill and sought all dialogue channels to demand China’s immediate withdrawal of its rig and surrounding vessels out of Viet Nam’s waters, Dung said.
He addedd that China’s response was to slander Viet Nam and continue using force and intensifying its threats.
Dung said Viet Nam was determined to protect its sovereignty and waters by peaceful measures, in accordance with international law.
Regarding recent social disorder caused by “opportunists” during the protests against China’s actions, he said the Vietnamese Government promptly prevented and punished them in line with law. The businesses affected by the incidents also received support and resumed operations.
Dung called on ASEAN and countries around the world to keep backing Viet Nam in protecting its national sovereignty in accordance with international law.
He said there was a need for the international community to unite to prevent violations of international law.
Themed Leveraging Growth for Equitable Progress, the forum focused on the region’s development and sustainable growth.
Many participants expressed concern over complex security and political developments in the region, including disputes in the East Sea and East China Sea.
They held that peace and stability were prerequisite conditions for economic development. They called on parties concerned to solve disputes by peaceful means.
The forum is being attended by 600 regional and global scholars, business executives, government and civil society representatives.
In a discussion within the forum yesterday, Dung stressed the importance of public-private partnerships (PPP) in the forthcoming ASEAN economic community.
As ASEAN strengthened its connectivity, it needed to utilise the PPP model, especially in transport, he said, adding that foreign investment from outside the region was also needed.
At a dialogue with WEF business players interested in the Vietnamese market, Dung said he would help them access what he termed “a promising business environment“.
He told delegates that Viet Nam was speeding up the pace of economic restructuring, shaping new growth models and perfecting its economy market mechanism.
“Viet Nam has an abundant young population who can meet diverse needs. Following the realisation of the ASEAN community and free trade agreements with advanced economies, the country is expected to be a part of a vast network grouping of 55 partners, including 15 G20 members,” he added.
Dung also met with Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, Feliciano J. Belmonte, who confirmed his country’s consistent support for Viet Nam on the East Sea issue.
Earlier, the Vietnamese PM told WEF Chairman, Professor Klaus Schwab, that Viet Nam hoped WEF member nations would continue making active contributions to bring peace, stability, co-operation and prosperous development to the Asia-Pacific region.
The PM said Viet Nam was working to better its economic institutions and change its growth model towards building a competitively green economy and social equality.
To this end, he called for strong support from member states in developing a common PPP policy framework and a list of ASEAN Connectivity projects, as well as cost-effective supervisory mechanisms to ensure these projects are successful.
The PM also held a dialogue with WEF business representatives who are keen to explore Vietnam’s investment environment.
He said the country is accelerating economic restructuring, renovating its growth model, and finalising the market economic institution.
Dung briefed businesses on Vietnam’s future prospects, and the country is making constant effort to improve its investment environment, thus facilitating foreign operations in the country.
Đăng ký: VietNam News