Vietnam hopes for early start of COC negotiations
(VOV) - Vietnam wants ASEAN and China to soon start official negotiations on a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) as a contribution to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi said this in reply to media question on Vietnam’s viewpoints over Indonesia’s draft COC at the ministry’s regular press briefing in Hanoi on October 25.
He said ASEAN has been speeding up official consultation between ASEAN and China for the building of a COC.
ASEAN has finalized fundamental documents on COC elements which were approved by ASEAN Foreign Ministers in July. Indonesia has made a draft with more specific and detailed contents of the elements, Nghi said.