Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste Hernani Coelho voiced his concern over the recent tension in the East Sea following China’s recent mass land reclamation in Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

The minister told a Vietnam News Agency reporter on June 8 that the maritime dispute is complicated and requires shared goodwill from the involved parties to come to a solution, stressing that he supported a peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law.

Coelho called for an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) which he said would be the best way to settle territorial disputes at sea, as the code will define principles and directions to deal with disputes.

He also highlighted the significance of fostering a peaceful and friendly environment in the East Sea where the ASEAN and China work together towards regional peace, stability, economic development and prosperity.

Regarding its bilateral ties with Vietnam, Minister Coelho said despite the geographic distance, Vietnam-Timor-Leste relations have seen significant progress as more and more Vietnamese goods, particularly agricultural products, make their way into Timor-Leste’s market.

Infrastructure development in Timor-Leste is among key sectors attracting Vietnamese investment, he noted, citing the Vietnamese military-run telecom group Viettel as an example. The group, founder of Telemor in Timor-Leste, has become a leading telecommunication service provider in the country.

Timor-Leste is waiting as the ASEAN working group assesses the impacts of its membership to the bloc and hopes for full membership recognition in the near future, Coelho reaffirmed.

VNA