Hanoi (VNA) –Experts in a recent TV talk show underscored the significance of the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Vietnam’sengagement in this deal.

The talk show was held by theParty Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission and the NationalAssembly Television on June 18 on the occasion of 40 years since UNCLOS was openedfor signature and 10 years since the promulgation of Vietnam’s Law of the Sea.

Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao,member of the UN International Law Commission for 2023 - 2027, said UNCLOS,opened for signature on December 10, 1982, is the “constitution of the oceans” thatcomprises many articles covering all fields of international maritime law. It createdthe foundation for establishing a new international order at sea and balancinginterests of all developed and developing countries.

This is the first conventionto identify all sea areas in the world, he noted, adding that it also regulatesall sea-related activities, including maritime scientific research and under-sea cable installation.

In particular, the conventionalso stipulates the mechanism for resolving sea-related disputes, Thao said.

Dr. Tran Cong Truc, formerhead of the Government’s boundary committee, said the convention opened up anew legal corridor for countries to base themselves on to protect and manage their rightsand legitimate interests in the seas and oceans.

Talking viavideoconferencing, Prof. Carl Thayer, a leading researcher on UNCLOS andinternational maritime law from Australia’s University of New South Wales, saidthe feature that can be found only in UNCLOS is that this convention sets up abinding mechanism for settling disputes. If two parties are involved in adispute, they can refer to UNCLOS to settle.

Notably, it is a “packagedeal” which means once signing the convention, a party must comply with allregulations, according to Thayer.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, formerPermanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, said more than ever, theinternational community needs to stay steadfast in the maintenance of theestablished legal regulations on the oceans like UNCLOS.

To guarantee internationalpeace and security at sea, it is a must to adhere to UNCLOS, which is playingan increasingly important role in maintaining peace and security at sea andsustainably exploiting the seas for the sake of each country and all, hestressed.

Boasting an over-3,260km coastline,4,000 islands (including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos), 28 coastal localities,along with many sea-related interests, Vietnam actively participated in theUNCLOS drafting process.

Thao said after UNCLOS wasadopted, Vietnam was one of the 107 first states to sign the convention andquickly carried out the ratification. With the National Assembly’sratification on June 23, 1994, Vietnam clearly showed its will to exercise therights within permissible limitations of UNCLOS, with other states’ freedomrights taken into consideration.

Regarding Vietnam’s Law ofthe Sea, participants affirmed that the UNCLOS membership requires the country to issue a particular and overall law of the sea. That law, on the basis of UNCLOS andinternational law, was approved by the parliament on June 21, 2012 and tookeffect on January 1, 2013.

This was an importantmilestone in the development of Vietnam’s legal system in general and theregulations on maritime issues in particular, they added./.