US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Earlier, just hours prior to a video conference between the Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the US on April 22, Pompeo also stressed that US strongly opposed China’s bullying behaviour against neighbouring countries in the recent past.

Also on April 23, Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein issued a statement on the East Sea issue, saying all concerned parties must work together to maintain peace, security and stability in the East Sea and increase efforts to build, maintain and enhance mutual trust.

Malaysia held a view that the East Sea should be maintained as a sea of peace and trade. Therefore, matters relating to the sea must be resolved peacefully based on the principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, he said./.VNA

China’s notes at UN inconsistent with int’l law: Deputy spokesperson

China’s circulation of a number of diplomatic notes at the United Nations (UN) that raise unreasonable sovereignty claims over Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos as well as maritime claims in the East Sea

Japan concerned over China's establishment of districts in East Sea

Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has voiced his concerns over China’s establishment of districts to administer the Paracel (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago) and Spratly islands (Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago).