US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmed theirshared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the disputed South China Sea amidst flexing of muscles by China.
Underlining the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, US President Donald Trump and Thai junta leader chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha have reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The two leaders, who held talks at the White House, in a joint statement, highlighted the importance of a peaceful and stable South China Sea, a vital waterway for global commerce, and freedom of navigation and overflight.
They reaffirmedtheirshared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes,including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes,in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Welcoming the adoption of the framework of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), they called for an early conclusion of the COC.
Trump and the Thai leader alsoconcurredon the need for a cooperative approach to ensuring a peaceful, stable and sustainable South China Sea.
Trump and Prayut also expressed grave concern about North Korea's unprecedented number of nuclear and ballistic missile testsover the last year.
They urged all parties concerned,to strictly implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions with a view to realising a peaceful, stable and denuclearised Korean Peninsula.
They also discussed the current situation in Rakhine State of Myanmar.
Describing Prayut's visit as a "great honor," Trump offered a symbolic show of unity with the man behind a 2014 takeover that resulted in Washington cutting aid and cooling relations with one of its oldest alliances.
"We have a very strong relationship right now, as of this moment, and it's getting stronger in the last nine months. We've done a lot of things together, and it is a tremendous, Trump said welcoming his guest to the Oval Office.
Prayut, the first Thai leader to visit the White House since 2005, said the two countries would work together to resolve regional issues of concerns.
"We work, of course, in hand on our security defense cooperation to help ensure that our citizens are safeguarded from terrorism and other threats. Of course, we will work closely in order we solve the regional issue of concern, of course, he said.
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