India today conveyed to Vietnam its support for peace and security in the South China Sea where China has deployed surface-to-air missiles, escalating tensions.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung during which the dispute over South China Sea figured among other issues.
"The External Affairs Minister conveyed India's consistent support to peace and security in South China Sea," official sources said.
She also conveyed to him that the duspute must be settled on the basis of recognised international law.
China and Vietnam are locked in dispute over the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. China has been objecting to India's oil exploration projects in the disputed waters.
Swaraj and Trung also discussed cooperation between the two countries in various key sectors including in oil and natural gas.
India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the South China Sea in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister told Swaraj that his country attaches great importance to ties with India and looks forward to a visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
