Officers and soldiers at Ky Ha Port Border Gate (Nui Thanh district, Quang Nam province) patrol and protect the maritime border. Photo: Thanh Dat

The international seminar "Law on territorial boundaries: Merits and practices," organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Wallonia-Brussels Delegation (Belgium) in Vietnam, was held on September 7 in Hanoi.

Peacefully resolving territorial disputes in accordance with international law

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu emphasized the importance and significance of the issue of territorial sovereignty and national borders in international relations, the relationship between sovereignty and national borders for security, peace, stability and development cooperation.

Reviewing the results in the process of resolving and handling Vietnam's border and territorial issues, Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed Vietnam's consistent views on the role of international law - important basis in resolving territorial border issues.

Along with the settlement process, Vietnam not only strictly complies with international law but also builds and strengthens the national legal system, ensuring compatibility of the national legal system with international law.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Vu spoke at the seminar. Photo: Trung Hung

"As a coastal country in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has both a land border and a sea border with neighboring countries. In the process of resolving border and territorial disputes with neighboring countries, Vietnam always respects and willingly applies the provisions of international law and commits to resolving disputes by peaceful means," Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu said.

He said that up to now, with the land border, Vietnam completed demarcation, reached many important agreements on land border management with China and Laos. Vietnam also achieved important steps in the process of demarcation with Cambodia.

With maritime borders, Vietnam also successfully negotiated and signed many maritime delimitation agreements with neighboring countries such as delimiting the Gulf of Tonkin with China, delimiting the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf with Thailand, and the continental shelf with Indonesia.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Vu affirmed that in the coming time, Vietnam will make efforts to resolve some areas of difference to complete the establishment of the land border with Cambodia. Vietnam also continues its efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in the East Sea.

In this process, the experience of resolving territorial disputes of countries, including European countries, is a valuable lesson for Vietnam to make its efforts and commitments in resolving peaceful territorial disputes in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Vietnamese law on territorial borders consistent with international law

Experts, scholars, and representatives of ministries and branches participated in discussions at the seminar. Photo: Trung Hung

At the seminar, experts discussed how to apply international law to establish territorial borders and resolve peaceful disputes between countries.

They also looked back at the process of Vietnam applying international law to build, manage, and protect national borders and territory.

Domestic experts and scholars as well as representatives of ministries and branches gave evaluation speeches, highlighting the significance and results of the implementation of the National Border Law.

Vietnam's practical implementation of the Law of the Sea after 10 years of taking effect, thereby affirming that Vietnam's laws on territorial borders are consistent with international law.

Delegates attending the seminar discussed and shared many contents related to the construction, protection and management of territorial borders.

They agreed on the importance of international law to this process, as well as proposed measures to harmonize national law with international law in territorial border work.

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