The election of Lan Anh with strong support from UNCLOS member states reflects international recognition of Viet Nam’s aspiration to contribute to upholding the rule of international maritime law in international relations.

Viet Nam, as a State Party to UNCLOS 1982 and a coastal nation bordering the East Sea/ South China Sea, always respects the rights to freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the East Sea/ South China Sea in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang, head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Viet Nam, led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 32nd ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation (ACSOC) and the 26th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea/South China Sea (ASEAN-China SOM-DOC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 21.

Along with the development of human society, issues about seas and oceans have faced new challenges. In such a context, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), regarded as the constitution of seas and oceans, has become even more important.