Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations

On the 40th signing anniversary of the Convention, Ambassador Giang said thanks to UNCLOS regulations, Vietnam has been able to determine, enforce and manage its waters, rights and interests at sea and define its territory in line with international laws, which are recognised by the vast majority of countries.
Vietnam has negotiated maritime boundary delimitation with neighbouring countries, which forms important groundwork to determine the sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and legal interests of Vietnam at sea.
Vietnam has launched major maritime economic projects, from the exploitation of oil and gas to export of aquatic products, contributing to its socio-economic development.
He said the convention lays the foundation for Vietnam to work with relevant countries to address challenges, from the degradation of the marine environment and ecosystems to the negative impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels, ocean acidification and natural disasters.
Vietnam's policies, laws and regulations are aligned with UNCLOS, showing the country’s commitment and positive contributions to the international community’s efforts to fully abide by UNCLOS, as well as pool global support for Vietnam's maritime issues, he added.

Asked about Vietnam’s contributions to UNCLOS, Giang said Vietnam was one of the first countries to approve the convention in 1982 and its validity in November 1994.
Vietnam has also engaged in processes and mechanisms established under UNCLOS. In August, Vietnam's representative was elected to the Legal-Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority, marking the first time a Vietnamese marine scientist has joined an agency of the UNCLOS.