Hanoi (VNA) – The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) remains fully valid and continues to affirm its essential role in maintaining the legal order on the seas and oceans, said alternate member of the Party Central Committee and Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.
Speaking to the press on the occasion of the UNCLOS’s 30th anniversary, Vu hailed UNCLOS as one of the 20th century's greatest achievements in international law, saying that it not only codifies customary international law but also develops international maritime law to meet new trends in the use and exploitation of the seas and oceans.
As a comprehensive legal framework consisting of 320 articles divided into 17 parts and nine annexes, UNCLOS governs all activities on the seas and oceans that cover over 70% of the Earth's surface. Referred to as the "Constitution on the Oceans", it lays the groundwork for nations to collaborate on ocean governance in a sustainable and orderly manner.
UNCLOS, for the first time, has defined the scope and legal status of maritime zones, empowering nations to exercise their rights and conduct activities at sea in accordance with international law, he said, adding that it also established a relatively comprehensive dispute settlement system.
About Vietnam’s contributions to the UNCLOS building and enforcement, Vu noted that Vietnam has been a staunch supporter of UNCLOS since its inception. As one of the first 107 countries to sign the convention in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Vietnam ratified it before it came into effect.
To comply with UNCLOS, Vietnam has since refined its legal system on the seas and oceans, enacting strategies, policies, and plans to ensure the effective and sustainable use of its marine resources.
Vietnam's commitment to UNCLOS is evident in its success in settling maritime boundary issues with neighbouring countries, including Thailand, China, and Indonesia.
Additionally, Vietnam has actively joined activities within the framework of international mechanisms established under the convention and presented numerous initiatives welcomed by the international community, thereby gradually elevating the country’s role on the global stage.
Once a member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority, Vietnam made substantial contributions to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea's advisory opinions on climate change and international law. It also actively engaged in negotiations and was one of the first countries to sign the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, the most recent international document related to the UNCLOS implementation.
Vietnam also nominated experienced and qualified experts to the bodies established under UNCLOS, including a candidate for the position of judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term. Vietnam, alongside 11 co-founding nations, established the UNCLOS Group of Friends at the United Nations, which now comprises over 100 member countries from various regions, all dedicated to promoting the effective implementation of the convention, he added.
Regarding planned activities, Vu said that Vietnam will strive to successfully carry out activities to continue to demonstrate its respect for, compliance with and full implementation of UNCLOS. Those will also demonstrate the image of Vietnam in the rising era, being a trustworthy friend and responsible member of the international community.
Firstly, Vietnam will continue to promulgate policies and perfect the national legal system related to the sea and islands towards sustainable development, meeting the requirements of protecting sovereignty over seas and islands, and ensuring compliance with international law, including UNCLOS.
Secondly, Vietnam will keep upholding the respect for the rule of law and considering the convention as the legal basis for conducting activities at sea, including the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes with neighbouring countries, towards peaceful and sustainable management of maritime areas, including the East Sea.
Thirdly, Vietnam will actively participate in and make substantial contributions to forums on the law of the seas and oceans such as the Meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS and the UN Ocean Conference, and continue to contribute to issues of concern to the international community, including climate change, conservation and sustainable use of resources and biodiversity in the oceans.
The diplomat went on to say that Vietnam will also call on countries to continue to ratify and participate in the convention, while promoting the goodwill and full implementation of the provisions of the convention so that UNCLOS can further promote its role as a comprehensive legal framework regulating all activities at seas and oceans.
Finally, Vietnam will continue to further strengthen cooperation with international legal bodies, especially specialised agencies on oceans and the law of the sea, he said./.
