The Prime Minister made the remarks at a meeting held at Thinh Long Tourist Area, Hai Hau District in the northern province of Nam Dinh in response to the 8th Vietnam Sea and Island Week and World Oceans Day 2016. The Prime Minister emphasised that in the history of national construction and defence, together with the land, sea and islands have created a living environment for generations of Vietnamese people and have been a component part of the national sacred sovereignty.
Taking pride of and upholding the historical tradition, the Vietnamese people must bring into full play the entire nation’ strength to develop the marine economy and protect the national sovereignty over the sea and islands, he added.
To take full advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges and difficulties, the Prime Minister urged ministries, sectors and localities to strengthen solidarity and to be determined and consistent for the struggle to defend the national sovereignty over the seas and islands and national interests at sea via peaceful measures in accordance with international law. Furthermore, it is necessary to effectively promote sea resources for socio-economic development so that a sea-based economy can contribute 53-55% to the GDP and 60% to the national export revenue by 2020.
The Prime Minister also ordered all ministries and sectors to conduct more surveys and research on the nation’s seas and islands in order to formulate a plan to fully develop the sea and island economy, protect the national sovereignty and security and mobilise and attract all resources for sea economic development.
He said that the Vietnamese Government also encouraged organisations and individuals to increase investment and apply advanced science and technology to make effective use of the sea and island resources; implement policies and proper measures to improve local livelihoods; create favourable conditions for fishermen to live on the sea, develop a maritime economy and become well off from the sea.
The Prime Minister asserted the importance of sea environmental protection, particularly in coastal areas and said that it is a regular and long-term task to actively respond to environmental incidents. He requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment along with relevant ministries and localities to review nationwide projects that discharge waste in the sea while ensuring effective implementation of legal regulations on environmental protection and severely punishing any organisation or individual violating regulations on discharging wastewater into the sea.
He affirmed that Vietnam supports countries that have benefits in the East Sea taking actions contributing to peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation, as well as sea environment protection.
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Vietnam asked involved parties to settle differences and disputes via peaceful means and in respect of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) with full respect for legal and diplomatic processes; increase trust between nations; avoid the use or threat to use force; and work towards the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)
“We must, together, keep the peace on every wave of the East Sea, which will be a prerequisite for building Vietnam into a country enriched by the sea. It has been the desire of the Vietnamese people for thousands of years and the responsibility and task that our ancestors and Hoang Sa soldiers in the past handed over to our generation today,” said the Prime Minister.
Taking pride of and upholding the historical tradition, the Vietnamese people must bring into full play the entire nation’ strength to develop the marine economy and protect the national sovereignty over the sea and islands, he added.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the meeting to mark Vietnam’s Sea and Islands Week 2016 and celebrate the World Ocean Day 2016. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  Dai Hung Drilling II in the East sea. Photo: Hoang Ha/VNP |
| Vietnam has a coastline stretching over 3,260km from north to south, ranking 27 out of 157 coastal countries, island nations and territories around the world. The index of the coastline and the land area of Vietnam is approximately 0.01 (i.e., 100km2 of the land owning 1km of the coast), heading of Indochina, higher than in Thailand and approximately in Malaysia. In details, in 63 provinces and cities of the country, there are 28 provinces and cities having the sea and with a population which accounts for half of the total population living in cities and provinces along the coast. |
The Prime Minister also ordered all ministries and sectors to conduct more surveys and research on the nation’s seas and islands in order to formulate a plan to fully develop the sea and island economy, protect the national sovereignty and security and mobilise and attract all resources for sea economic development.
He said that the Vietnamese Government also encouraged organisations and individuals to increase investment and apply advanced science and technology to make effective use of the sea and island resources; implement policies and proper measures to improve local livelihoods; create favourable conditions for fishermen to live on the sea, develop a maritime economy and become well off from the sea.
The Prime Minister asserted the importance of sea environmental protection, particularly in coastal areas and said that it is a regular and long-term task to actively respond to environmental incidents. He requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment along with relevant ministries and localities to review nationwide projects that discharge waste in the sea while ensuring effective implementation of legal regulations on environmental protection and severely punishing any organisation or individual violating regulations on discharging wastewater into the sea.
He affirmed that Vietnam supports countries that have benefits in the East Sea taking actions contributing to peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation, as well as sea environment protection.
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 Vietnam has invested in building many fishing wharfs and areas for fishery logistics to promote offshore fishing. Photo: Huy Hung/VNA  The offshore fishing fleet of Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province. Photo: Viet Y/VNA  Developing areas for fishery logistics. Photo: Tran Hung/VNA  Modernising the navy to protect the national sovereignty over the sea, islands and continental shelf. Photo: Nguyen Khang/VNA |
Vietnam asked involved parties to settle differences and disputes via peaceful means and in respect of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) with full respect for legal and diplomatic processes; increase trust between nations; avoid the use or threat to use force; and work towards the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)
“We must, together, keep the peace on every wave of the East Sea, which will be a prerequisite for building Vietnam into a country enriched by the sea. It has been the desire of the Vietnamese people for thousands of years and the responsibility and task that our ancestors and Hoang Sa soldiers in the past handed over to our generation today,” said the Prime Minister.
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According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Vietnam has a sea area and continental shelf of more than 1million km2, three times more than the mainland area, accounting for 30% of the total area of nearly 3.5 million km2 of the East Sea. Vietnam has 3,000 big and small islands, including Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes. |
By VNA/VNP
