Look beyond sea row, further deepen ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership: Cambodian official

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 19 -- Looking beyond sea dispute, ASEAN and China should further deepen the strategic partnership in order to maintain the momentum of progress, achievements, and confidence building, said a senior Cambodian official on Thursday.

"Cambodia fully supports the further deepening and advancement of the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership, which will certainly serve mutual interests of both sides in all areas of cooperation," Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State at Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said at the opening of a regional conference on ASEAN and the South China Sea.

"Therefore, it is essential for ASEAN and China to maintain the momentum of progress and achievements, as well as to continue their concerted efforts in building trust and confidence through the enhancement of dialogues at all levels," he said.

Kao said ASEAN and China would have to do more to minimize the negative aspects and maximize positive dimensions in order to raise the profile of their Strategic Partnership, as a positive force for peace, stability and development in the region.

"Both sides should spare no effort to further build confidence and promote mutual trust in order to avoid suspicion and misunderstanding," he said. "It is essential for both sides to undertake whatever steps and measures in order to ensure steady progress on the consultations of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea."

He added that the two sides must maintain the momentum of the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and should consider the possibility of deepening defense cooperation.

"In the spirit of Strategic Partnership, ASEAN and China, in my view, will be able to peacefully and amicably settle the competing claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea, and thus contributing further to the strengthening of peace and development in our region," he said.

Addressing the two-day conference, which was attended by academics from ASEAN countries and China, Le Luong Minh, ASEAN's Secretary-General, said it was a long-standing position upheld by ASEAN that territorial disputes in the South China Sea should be settled among the parties concerned, by peaceful means and in accordance with international laws.

"It is important that both ASEAN and China continue to share common interest, responsibility and political will in developing the COC in an effective manner," he said. "Therefore, the on-going discussions on the COC must be further expedited and substantiated. "

He recommended that as part of the process of building confidence, the two blocs should create more joint cooperative projects and activities in the areas of non-traditional maritime security, search and rescue, maritime environment protection, marine science and technology, fishery and maritime connectivity.