India concerned over situation in South China Sea that ‘erode trust’

External affairs minister S Jaishankar outlined India’s position on the South China Sea while representing the country at the East Asia Summit on Saturday. He  expressed concern over actions in the region that erode trust and said a proposed code of conduct for the disputed waters shouldn’t affect the legitimate interests of third parties. Jaishankar pointed to the importance of adhering to international law, respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty, and promoting a rules-based global order.

Jaishankar expressed concern about actions and incidents in the South China Sea that “erode trust” and said ongoing negotiations on the proposed code of conduct “should not be prejudicial to legitimate interests of third parties and should be fully consistent” with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Jaishankar also noted the growing interest in the Indo-Pacific as an “integrated and organic maritime space with Asean at its centre”. He pointed to the synergy between Asean’s Indo-Pacific outlook and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and said: “Harmonising various perspectives would never be a challenge if there is commitment to international cooperation.”

The virtual East Asia Summit, chaired by Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in his capacity as chair of Asean, discussed ways to strengthen the platform and make it more responsive to emerging challenges. The summit adopted the Hanoi Declaration and four leaders’ statements on marine sustainability, epidemics prevention and response, women, peace and security, and steady growth of the regional economy.