Cambodian adopts peaceful resolution in the South China Sea dispute

17 June 2011
By Ly Tyden
Cambodia Express News

Phnom Penh – The Cambodian government showed its stance on 17 June 2011 by saying that all parties involved in the South China Sea should adopt a peaceful resolution. Furthermore, all parties should abide by the 2002 ASEAN agreements with China. This above statement was confirmed by Koy Kuong, spokesman of the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Koy Kuong said that China and Vietnam, as well as all parties involved in the South China Sea dispute are all good friends of Cambodia, therefore, Cambodia asks that all parties abide by the cooperation agreement regarding the South China Sea in order to seek a peaceful resolution.

The South China Sea dispute involves the sovereignty of China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. During the 2002 ASEAN summit meeting in Phnom Penh, all parties signed a joint statement regarding the cooperation in the South China Sea, commonly known as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

Koy Kuong said that the agreement between ASEAN and China was done in order to reach a peaceful resolution in the South China Sea dispute because ASEAN and China maintains good cooperation in the past and in the present.

In the past few days, China and Vietnam are fighting each other to take over the Spratly and Paracel Islands. China and Vietnam flexed muscles at one another by showing off their armed forces. Vietnam even went on to hold a military exercise on the dispute zone.

In this dispute, 28 SRP Parliamentarians – 26 MPs and 2 Senators – expressed their support for China.

In a statement issued on 17 June, the SRP Parliamentarians denounce and condemn the groundless demands made by Vietnam to occupy the South China Sea islands which are administered by China, Vietnam’s northern neighbor.

SRP Parliamentarians indicated that “[t]he continuous violation of Cambodia’s territorial integrity by expansionist Vietnam and the bellicist position Hanoi is adopting in South East Asia and in the South China Sea constitute a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.”

Nevetheless, Koy Kuong indicated that the SRP’s statement was done in violation and without thinking, and the government does not care about it. Furthermore, he indicated that the SRP’s statement does not reflect the government’s position.