China, Vietnam agree to work on settling South China Sea dispute

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Nov 2022 17:22

Beijing had always wanted to formally settle the dispute with the countries involved, but some countries sought to resort to third parties to do so.

China, Vietnam pledge to 'manage' South China Sea dispute

The leaders of China and Vietnam agreed on Tuesday to step up efforts to "properly manage" territorial disputes in the South China Sea, AFP reported on Tuesday.

The South China Sea dispute has been ongoing for several years, with multiple countries, namely China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, all fighting for sovereignty in the maritime region.

Sixty percent of maritime trade passes through Asia, with the South China Sea carrying an estimated one-third of global shipping. Most recently, US and western naval ships have been crossing the area as part of the ongoing provocations against China.

According to Xinhua news agency, Xi and other Chinese officials met with Vietnam's Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Beijing to hold "an in-depth and candid exchange of views on maritime issues."

General Secretary Xi Jinping awarded Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, the Friendship Medal of the PRC. pic.twitter.com/UXwkM92OcY
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) November 1, 2022

Both countries "agreed to properly handle maritime issues and contribute to long-term peace and stability in the region."

They agreed that "it is crucial to properly manage differences to protect peace and stability in the South China Sea," pledging to "actively negotiate transitional and temporary solutions that do not impact their respective positions."

Other parts of the agreement include joint collaboration to counter terrorism, transnational fraud, and the illegal drug trade.

Beijing had always wanted to formally settle the dispute with the countries involved but some countries sought to resort to third parties to do so.

For instance, in early 2013, the Philippines initiated the South China Sea arbitration against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague - a Western-affiliated organ of the UN.

In recent months, since the West began to further stir up geopolitical tension in the region, China has begun to adopt a more defensive stance by building artificial islands and deploying coast guard and maritime militia patrols.

This week, the Chinese leader will be meeting with a number of heads of state since Xi has formally inaugurated his third term as leader of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Among the attendees is Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as well as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz whom he will meet on Friday.