The Vietnamese delegation’s active participation at the recent 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting highlighted the country’s reputation and responsible contributions to important regional and global multilateral issues, an official has said.

Australia and the Republic of Korea (RoK) expressed their grave concern over recent developments in the East Sea at the fourth Australia – RoK Foreign and Defence Ministers Meeting in Sydney.

Pham Hai Anh, Vietnam’s representative to the United Nations, on December 10 affirmed Vietnam’s consistent stance that all disputes should be settled via peaceful measures, in line with international law.

The 7th diplomatic – defence strategic dialogue between Vietnam and Australia, an annual activity since 2012, took place in Canberra on December 10.

Vietnam foreign affairs spokeswoman on Thursday reaffirmed the country’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands after images showing an airship deployed above the China-occupied Mischief Reef.

Typhoon Kammuri has entered the East Sea, packing winds of 90-100 kilometres per hour near its eye, with gusts of over 118 kilometres per hour, after sweeping through the Philippines.

Powerful Typhoon Kammuri, packing strong winds gusting at level 17, is expected to enter the East Sea in the next 24 hours. From this afternoon, winds hovering around the northeast and middle of the East Sea will likely intensify to level 10.

Peace and self-defence form the basic features of Vietnam’s defence policy, which remains updated since the previous edition issued in 2009, according to Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh.

The Import-Export Department, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on November 21 told local importers and firms to closely inspect imports and ask their partners to ensure their products do not feature the illegal nine-dash line map.

The Vietnam-China working group on cooperation in less sensitive sea-related areas held the 13th round of negotiations in Ho Chi Minh City on November 19 and 20.

The reported cold spell has covered the whole of the North, causing temperatures to plunge with several places having recorded extreme cold on the morning of November 19.

Experts on the East Sea say China’s “grey zone” strategy provokes tension in order to control most of the East Sea.

The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has urged authorities of coastal localities from Quang Ninh to Khanh Hoa to proactively brace for storm Kalmaegi and cold spells.

It is anticipated that typhoon Kalmaegi will travel west-northwest at a speed of between 5km and 10km during the next 12 hours, according forecasts by the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Growing economic interest in the East Sea has led the European Union and its member states to pay more attention to the region, according to an Italian expert. 

Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich addressed an ASEAN ministers’ meeting with partners on November 18, describing trust as the most important for countries to cooperate substantively and sincerely in dealing with security challenges in the region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should exert more efforts to enhance internal integrity so as to flexibly cope with external challenges and impact, Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich said on November 17.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a ceremony in Hanoi on November 14 to mark the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Vietnam’s membership of the treaty.

It is necessary to maintain and respect international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the settlement of disputes in the East Sea, Swiss lawyer Pierre Schifferli has said.

New tropical low- pressure system formed in the eastern territorial waters of the Central- Philippines yesterday.