Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, has stressed that as the world faces new complex developments and challenges, the implementation of the rule of law at all levels is very important for the development of each country and the international community.
Speaking at a general debate of the 6th Legal Committee of the UN General Assembly in New York on 18 October, the Ambassador said that adherence to international law is not only the responsibility of countries, but also a way to restore trust, demonstrate sincerity, strengthen solidarity, promote multilateralism and effectively respond to common challenges. It was unacceptable to interpret and implement laws with double standards or selectively, he said.
Turning to ongoing conflicts in many regions of the world, the Vietnamese delegate called on the parties concerned to comply with their obligations under international law and humanitarian law, to put an early end to violence, restore peace, ensure the safety of people and vital infrastructure, and provide humanitarian assistance.
Sharing efforts to promote the rule of law in the region, Giang said Vietnam is working with other ASEAN countries to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asian region. Recent developments in the East Sea continue to cause concern and affect regional peace, security and stability. Therefore, all relevant parties must abide by international law, in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as diplomatic and legal procedures.
As one of the founding members of the Group of Friends of UNCLOS, Vietnam, together with nearly 120 other members, actively promotes understanding of and adherence to UNCLOS 1982, as well as the application of UNCLOS 1982 in the maritime sector.
Vietnam is one of the first countries to sign the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty, the Ambassador said, affirming that Vietnam will continue to implement judicial reform, strengthen the legal system to build a rule of law state, and work closely with the UN and other partners to promote and ensure greater adherence to rule of law principles at national and international levels.