Vietnam reasserts sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang

At the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on March 28, the official said Vietnam has sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence affirming its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes in line with international law.”

China’s conducting of live-fire drills in Hoang Sa from March 22-24 and its plans to build the islands of Phu Lam, Cay, and Duy Mong in the Vietnamese archipelago into cities and strategic logistics service bases has “seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over this archipelago; run counter to the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China; violated the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); complicated the situation in a way that is detrimental to the current negotiations between China and ASEAN on a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) as well as the maintenance of a peaceful, stable, and cooperative environment in the East Sea,” the spokesperson said.

“Vietnam demands that China stop and not repeat similar activities, respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, respect the common perceptions reached by the two countries’ senior leaders as well as international law, and cease activities escalating tensions or complicating the situation in the region,” she stressed.

Hang added that the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had handed over a diplomatic note opposing these activities by China.

With regard to Vietnam’s comment on US President Donald Trump’s signing of a proclamation recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, Hang said, “Vietnam shares the deep concerns of the international community over the recent developments relating to the status of the Golan Heights. We call on the concerned parties to act in line with relevant resolutions of the United Nations, respect international law, and settle disagreements via dialogue for the sake of sustainable peace in the Middle East and the world.”