Lao Party officials visit Vietnam

Sounthon Saynhachac, the Lao commission's deputy head and Deputy Foreign Minister, expressed her thanks for Vietnam's valuable support for Laos, affirming that her country will do its utmost together with Vietnam to nurture and lift the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples to a new height.

Quan said he is delighted at the fine development of the two countries' bilateral ties and the close connections between the two commissions. He informed the guests of the current East Sea situation, stressing that China's placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig deep inside Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf has seriously infringed international law, including the 1982 United Nations Conventional on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) to which China is a signatory. China's action has also violated an agreement reached by the two countries' leaders on principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues, at the same time threatened peace, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, causing concern for the international community, Quan said. He reiterated Vietnam's consistent stance of resolutely safeguarding its sovereignty by peaceful means on the basis of international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS and the DOC. Sounthon Saynhachac stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea. She said Laos is concerned about the recent developments in the East Sea and is keeping a close watch of the situation. She expressed her hope that Vietnam and China will restrain themselves and step up negotiations in order to solve disputes peacefully in line with international law, especially the UNCLOS. Earlier, she had a working session with her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Huy Tang.

(Source: VNA)