Malaysia agrees with Indonesia that the South China Sea issue must be resolved through the diplomatic channel with respect for international law, Malaysian Prime Minister Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said.
He made the remarks during a joint press conference with President Joko Widodo following their meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Wednesday.
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The settlement of the South China Sea issue needs to respect the United Nations Convention on Law of Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, which is an international treaty on maritime activities that pertains particularly to the South China Sea, he said in a statement streamed on the Youtube channel of the Presidential Secretariat here on Wednesday.
The South China Sea issue was discussed by President Joko Widodo and Yaakob’s predecessor, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, early in February 2021.
At the meeting with Yassin, President Widodo stressed that regional stability in the South China Sea would materialize if all countries respect international law, particularly UNCLOS.
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At their meeting, Widodo and Yaakob also discussed cooperation in the protection of Indonesian citizens in Malaysia and ways to conclude negotiations on state borders.
Yaakob’s visit is his first to Indonesia since his inauguration as the prime minister on August 21, 2021 after Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down from the post.
Indonesia was the first ASEAN country that Mahathir Mohammad visited early in 2020 after he took office as Malaysian Prime Minister.
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Editor : Mahdani
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