10th Meeting of Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns between Viet Nam and the Philippines
WVR/VNA - From May 15-16, the 10th Meeting of the Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns between Viet Nam and Philippines (the 10th JPWG-MOC) was conducted in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh province, Vietnam.
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The Vietnamese delegation was led by Vice Chairman, National Boundary Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Dong. The Philippine delegation was led by Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, Department of Foreign Affairs Maria Angela A. Ponce.
At the meeting, the two delegations reviewed the implementation of agreements reached at the 9th Meeting in November 2021 and noted with satisfaction that, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, both sides have fostered cooperation between the two countries on maritime security, fisheries, marine scientific research, environmental protection, meteorology and coordination in regional and international fora, among others.
The two delegations agreed to enhance and deepen the above-mentioned maritime cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.
Noting the complexity of the recent situation in the South China Sea, the two delegations agreed that maritime cooperation not only contributes to the Strategic Partnership between the two countries but also to peace, stability and order in the region.
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| The two delegations agreed to enhance and deepen the above-mentioned maritime cooperation between the two countries in the coming time. |
The two delegations exchanged views on the recent developments in the South China Sea and expressed concerns about recent unilateral activities that undermine the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal states entitled under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both sides reaffirmed the importance of upholding international law, especially UNCLOS, ASEAN centrality and position on the South China Sea, the maintainance of peace, stability and order, as well as peaceful settlement of disputes.
The maritime cooperation mechanism between Vietnam and the Philippines was established in 2004 and has always been considered as one of the pillars in the relations of the two countries.
It plays a significant role in strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership, protecting the rights and interests of each country in the South China Sea, promoting peace, stability in the region, as well as consolidating ASEAN solidarity.
