Committee: ASEAN committee

Topic: South China Sea Dispute

Country: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam
School/University: Royal University of Phnom Penh
Delegate Name: Thou Puthea, Pheng Phanit

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a victim, rather than an aggressor, in the Biển Đông,
or the East Sea, in Vietnamese which has known as South China Sea dispute. South China Sea
dispute is a major flashpoint threatening territory and jurisdiction between China and ASEAN
maritime states which Vietnam and the Philippines are considered as the front line. Due to the
disputants' increased attempts to advance their claims, Vietnam believes that conflict risks have
increased. Since Beijing has been aggressively pushing its claims, tensions with our country have
been rising as Vietnam tries to protect its national sovereignty, economic interests, and strategic
interests in the South China Sea in the face of China's frequent intrusions into Vietnamese waters
and harassment of ships looking for oil and gas.

The source of the problem is two-fold, firstly, it is because the Paracels and the Spratlys,
two archipelagos that Vietnam claims to have held for centuries, are at the center of Vietnam's
territorial dispute with China. These two archipelagoes do not belong to China because according
to history is that China is failed to establish control over them; in contrast, Vietnam is successful
in putting control over these two archipelagos. Secondly, because of the chaos about who is the
controller in the colonization era, World War I and World War II; therefore, these two archipelagos
should be returned to Vietnam back. Furthermore, recently, China has become more active in the
South China Sea issue because China wants natural resources in the two archipelagos and binds
the territory for their additional geopolitical benefits.

The Republic of Vietnam imposes the policy of South China Sea by counting on three
crucial pillars. Firstly, Vietnam proves that it has adequate historical evidence and legal foundation
to prove its authority over the Paracels and the Sparatlys and also its rights to its EEZ and
continental shelf in the Sea. Secondly, it contradicts the use of force and engages in a long term
peaceful resolution to the argument in accordance with international law, particularly, UNCLOS.
Thirdly, waiting for the resolution, Vietnam cooperate with other parties to succeed in the
argument and conserve the stability of the religion. Additionally, Vietnam’s South China Sea
actions complies with its whole defense policy, which is depended on the “3 nos” naming: no
military associations, no foreign bases on Vietnam’s soil and no relationships with one country to
be used against a third country.

The Republic of Vietnam believe that the South East Asian countries will trying to solve
all the problem that had happened during this time for The Republic of Vietnam. It’s so important
to create the strong resolution, which we can call it as a long term success in the argument and
long term peaceful resolution.