Vietnam supports India's South China Sea stand, UNSC bid

Jan 15, 2013- Hanoi: Vietnam Tuesday backed India's stand that there should be freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, an area China wants New Delhi to keep away from, and also extended support to the country's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Indian Shivalik warship.

Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said Vietnam has stressed on greater cooperation between the two countries in strategic, economic and other matters, briefing reporters during Vice President Hamid Ansari's four-day state visit here.

"Vietnam has expressed support on the freedom of navigation in South China Sea..... It also said it supports India's bid for a Permanent membership of the UN Security Council," Singh said.

Asked for further details, he said though the main focus of Ansari's meetings with Vietnam's top leadership was bilateral, Hanoi has expressed the "need for peace and stability in the region, including the South China Sea".

Vietnam is of the view that any disputes in the region should be dealt with under the six-point formula of ASEAN and the 1982 UNCLOS Agreement.

India maintains that it is only engaged in oil exploration in the South China Sea while China sees India's foray into the region as an attempt to increase its strategic presence.

Ansari pointed out that Indian companies in the field of oil and gas exploration are actively engaged in several projects in Vietnam.

"India is also prepared to continue extending lines of credit on concessional terms, especially for infrastructure development," he said at a programme here.

PTI

S China Sea row churns, Ansari to visit Vietnam

Dec 29, 2012- Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari will be going on his first visit, in his second term, to Vietnam next month, signalling New Delhi’s growing close relations with Hanoi. This visit assumes significance in the wake of Vietnam’s tough stance against China on the territorial dispute over South China Sea.

Indian Navy INS Airavat has visited Vietnam in 2011

A decision has been taken to schedule the Vice-President’s visit in January third week, sources said, and could be held as early as January 14. He is likely to visit Hanoi as well as Ho Chi Minh city, which is home to the Indian community.

South Block considers Vietnam a key partner in South-east Asia, evident from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s meeting with the visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, on the sidelines of the Indo-ASEAN Commemorative Summit on December 21.

In fact, Vietnam was the only country last week, which had sought New Delhi’s “support” in the “full implementation” of the code of conduct in South China Sea.

Furious over Chinese passports showing South China Sea as part of Chinese waters, Vietnam had last month issued stapled visas to travellers to the neighbouring country, an idea copied from India.

The Indian Express