(Photo: VNA)

The statement said ASEAN closely follows with concern the recent developments in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam). They reaffirm the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, safety, security, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the maritime sphere of Southeast Asia, particularly the South China Sea.

They also reaffirm the need to restore and enhance mutual trust and confidence as well as exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, avoid actions that may further complicate the situation and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

The Foreign Ministers underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety and committed to working towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

This has been the 5th time ASEAN has issued a separate statement on maritime issues since 1995. The last time the bloc issued a separate statement on the East Sea was in 2014.