Vietnam reaffirms sovereignty over East Sea islands

VOVNews

Vietnam has adequate evidence and sufficient legal basis to proclaim its sovereignty over both the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Dung.

The spokesperson made the statement on March 12 in response to reporters’ question after Filipino President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 10 signed a decision to issue a bill on the new baseline which mandates that several islands on the Truong Sa archipelago are under the Philippines’ management.

The decision seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, complicated the situation and went contrary to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as the trend of cooperation in the region, said Mr Dung.

He stressed that all activities by foreign countries relating to the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in Vietnam without the country’s permission will violate its sovereignty and will have no legal value.

Vietnam opposes the decision and asks the Philippines to refrain from taking further similar action detrimental to peace and stability in the region as well as the good relationship between Vietnam and the Philippines.

The same day, the spokesperson also opposed China’s decision to allow its Zhoujiang travel agent to launch tours of the Phu Lam island of the Hoang Sa archipelago.

Mr Dung said the decision seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and is not beneficial to the on-going negotiation process aimed at seeking fundamental and long-term solutions to maritime issues between the two countries.

He affirmed that Vietnam wants to settle all disputes through peaceful negotiations on the basis of international laws and practices, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as common consensus reached by the two countries’ top leaders.