Duterte, Vietnam PM affirm commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes in South China Sea

President Rodrigo Duterte and Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc have maintained their countries' commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.

Phuc said in his telephone call with Duterte on Tuesday night that the Philippines has “played well the role of country coordinator of ASEAN-China relations,” according to the Presidential Communications Operations Office on Wednesday.

The Philippines is currently the dialogue coordinator between China and the Association of Southeast Nations on negotiations for a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a portion of which Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

Manila and Beijing agreed in August last year that the document should be crafted before Duterte steps down in 2022.

During the phone call, Duterte said he would “support the endeavors of ASEAN.”

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have disputes with China in the resource-rich waters. — BM, GMA News