On July 28, 1994, the 101st Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly passed the Resolution and the Agreement on implementation of Part XI of the 1982 Convention and Vietnam also voted to approve the Resolution and Agreement.
The 1982 Convention is judged as the most important legal document after World War II, only second to the UN Charter. This is the legal document of comprehensive character, covering all the important issues on the legal system of the sea and ocean, meeting the interests of all the UN member countries. The approval of the 1982 Convention can be regarded as an important step in establishment of order on the sea.
As for Vietnam, the 1982 Convention is of special significance. The Convention has determined and reaffirmed the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Vietnam over the sea areas and the continental shelf in conformity with the Declaration on May 12, 1977 and November 12, 1982 of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the sea areas of Vietnam and in conformity with Vietnam’s consistent policy in order to settle the disputes on the sea and continental shelf with the neighbouring countries through peaceful negotiations, in the spirit of equality, mutual understanding and respect, corresponding to international law.
To help readers have more information on the process of participating and implementing the stipulations and requirements of the 1982 Convention for such littoral nations as Vietnam, reviewing, judging and analyzing the actual situation of managing the sea, protecting the sovereignty and interests on the sea of Vietnam, the National Political Publishing House published the book on the 1982 Sea Convention and the sea strategy of Vietnam with Dr. Nguyễn Hồng Thao as the chief editor.
The book comprises three parts:
The first part: Introduces the East Sea and Vietnam’s position on the sea, the policy and law on the sea of Vietnam through periods of time.
The second part: Summarizes the process of building and developing the international law on the sea with the important landmark being the 1982 Convention and Vietnam’s participation in this Convention.
The third part: Determines the sea areas of Vietnam; the plan to develop Vietnam’s sea areas; provides detailed information on the process of implementing the 1982 Convention by Vietnam in the following specific areas: Security of national defence; foreign relations; sea transport and communication; fisheries; oil and gas; protection and maintenance of sea environment; post and telecommunication; sea mapping and settlement of disputes over sovereignty on the sea.
The book aims to explain the process of participating and implementing the stipulations and requirements of the 1982 Convention concerning such littoral nations as Vietnam, review, judge and analyze the actual situation of managing the sea and protecting Vietnam’s sovereignty and interests on the sea. In actuality, all of Vietnam’s activities on the sea are diverse and abundant, not only the pure implementation of the 1982 Convention. That is why, the content of the book has not dealt with all the activities concerning the use of the sea. It has focused on the main areas relating to the use of the sea; Vietnam’s expansion of the sea and the issues relating to the stipulations of the 1982 Convention are not so deeply dealt with and analyzed concerning all aspects of each area. The book only concentrates on the study of the main requirements of the 1982 Convention relating to each area and Vietnam’s putting it into effect.
It is hoped that the book on the 1982 Convention and Vietnam’s sea strategy will be helpful to some extent to the research work, use and management of the sea of Vietnam, thus making a contribution to taking Vietnam to become a strong nation on the sea in the 21st century./.