Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu (center) chaired the conference as Chairman on June 23, 2025. Photo: Thanh Tuan/VNA correspondent in the US

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, together with representatives from the Government Office , the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security and the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations. The representative of the Vietnamese delegation, Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu was elected by the Conference to hold the position of Conference Chairman.

According to a VNA correspondent in New York, the conference is an annual event for member states of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to hear reports and discuss the situation and results of the work of agencies established under the Convention, including the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), and especially the UN Secretary-General's reports on oceans and the law of the sea. This is an important occasion for countries to express their views, propose initiatives and solutions to better implement UNCLOS as well as contribute to the protection and sustainable exploitation of the ocean. In the context of the seas and oceans facing many major and emerging challenges such as rising sea levels, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution, depletion of marine resources, etc., and at the same time, facing many new opportunities thanks to strong advances in science and technology that help humans reach further out to the sea and ocean floor, the 35th SPLOS Conference has a particularly important significance.

During the discussions, member states continued to uphold the value of UNCLOS, stressing the full and good faith implementation of the provisions of the Convention, supporting the role and activities of the three bodies established by the Convention. The conference acknowledged many new steps in strengthening international maritime law and cooperation between countries such as the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice (France) in June 2025, progress in ratifying the BBNJ Agreement; developing the ISA Regulation on Mineral Exploitation of the Ocean Bed; issuing the ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Climate Change (May 2024); and welcomed the CLCS issuing 3 new recommendations for reports on extended continental shelves.

This conference marked a new milestone for Vietnam in cooperation on seas and oceans with the first time a representative of Vietnam was elected as the Conference Chair, along with the active participation and contribution of the delegation at the conference. Under the leadership of Vietnam as the Chair, the delegations discussed enthusiastically and substantively the contents of the agenda. The Conference Chair proactively implemented or guided the members of the Presidium to conduct many forms of consultation in groups, or directly with countries to create an atmosphere of cooperation and promote consensus.

In addition, the Vietnamese delegation continued to actively participate and make substantial contributions to the Conference. Speaking on behalf of the Vietnamese delegation at the plenary session, Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, emphasized that UNCLOS continues to be a comprehensive legal document regulating all activities in the field of seas and oceans. Peace, security, development and sustainability of the marine environment depend on countries fully complying with their obligations under the Convention. Vietnam is committed to fully implementing UNCLOS and calls on countries to join hands to protect the integrity of the Convention. In particular, regarding the East Sea, the Ambassador emphasized that relevant parties need to establish maritime zones in accordance with the Convention, and work together for peace, stability, prosperity and development in the region.

The Head of the Vietnamese Mission to the United Nations welcomed the progress in the process of building a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), emphasizing that the COC must be consistent with international law, especially UNCLOS. Vietnam proposed further promoting international and regional cooperation in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, enhancing capacity building and technology transfer initiatives for developing countries on the basis of ensuring transparency, appropriateness to the needs of each country and led by countries.

Vietnam acknowledges and highly appreciates the efforts and results of the agencies established under UNCLOS in maintaining legal order in the field of seas and oceans, contributing to ensuring peace and maritime security. In addition, Vietnam also encourages the agencies to promote their roles more effectively, contributing directly to the interpretation and application of the Convention to ensure its effective implementation, for a safe, sustainable and fair ocean for present and future generations.

According to baotintuc.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/theo-dong-thoi-su/dau-an-moi-cua-viet-nam-ve-hop-tac-tren-bien-va-dai-duong-tai-hoi-nghi-splos-35-155139.html