Vietnam calls for countries to abide by international law during South China Sea drills

"The East Sea is one of the most important waters in the region," deputy spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet said at a regular press meet on Thursday, using the Vietnamese name for the waterway. He was responding to inquiries about several countries ramping up drills on the area in close time frames.

Viet affirmed that the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety and maritime freedom in the region, in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is the common goal, interest and responsibility of all nations.

"Vietnam requests for activities of relevant countries in the East Sea to be conducted in a way in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS and to actively contribute to the realization of the aforementioned goals."

China’s Southern Theater Command on April 7 said it would organize naval and air joint drills at the South China Sea, adding that the force is managing all military activities that disrupt the situation and create hotspots on the sea.

The announcement was made the same day that the U.S., Australia, Japan and the Philippines performed joint drills called the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity on the South China Sea to show their commitment on bolstering regional and international cooperation, as well as supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on April 9 said the four-sided naval drills between the U.S., Australia, Japan and the Philippines on the South China Sea would happen more often in the future.

The drills happened just days before a summit between the U.S., Japan and the Philippines in Washington, where the three countries would discuss about recent tension at the South China Sea regarding confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos said an agreement between the three countries for the maintenance of security and maritime freedom on the South China Sea would be announced at the summit.

The Philippines and China have had several confrontations near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea in recent times.