China-Russia-India communique preserves maritime order: foreign ministry

The joint communique issued after a meeting of the foreign ministers from China, Russia and India shows the common desire of the three to maintain order on seas and oceans, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks when asked to comment on the communique at a routine press briefing.

In the communique released after the trilateral meeting, held on April 18 in Moscow, China, Russia and India commit to maintaining legal order for seas and oceans based on international law, notably in the UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS).

The three nations agreed that disputes should be addressed through negotiations and agreements between the parties concerned.

In this regard the ministers called for full respect of all provisions of UNCLOS, as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea(DOC) and the Guidelines for the implementation of the DOC, said the communique.

The afore-mentioned content tallies with China's consistent position on dealing with maritime issues, Hua said, adding that it also embodies the common wish of the three countries to safeguard maritime order as well as regional peace and stability.

Based on mutual understanding and trust, the three parties agreed to keep working together against terrorism, piracy, and drug smuggling, while facilitating the political solutions to regional issues. Endi