Vietnam resolutely rejects China’s unilateral fishing ban: Deputy Spokesman

A naval soldier of Vietnam on duty on Da Lat Reef in the country's Truong Sa archipelago (Photo: VNA)

Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet underlined Vietnam’s objection to China’s recent fishing ban while detailing Vietnam’s viewpoints on several issues related to the East Sea at the ministry’s regular press conference on April 29.

Replying to a question about the report that the Chinese coast guard force declared it will guarantee the enforcement of the fishing ban that will take effect on May 1, 2021, on the sea area covering part of the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, the deputy spokesman reiterated that Vietnam has sufficient legal ground and historical evidence testifying to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, as well as its legal rights towards sea areas identified in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam holds that measures to preserve creature resources need to be implemented in conformity with regulations of the 1982 UNCLOS and must not harm the sovereign right and jurisdiction at sea of other related states, according to Viet.

He stressed that Vietnam objects to and resolutely rejects this unilateral decision by the Chinese side, which has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago; infringed international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS; run counter to the spirit and wording of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and gone against the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China.

Regarding the information that the Vietnamese maritime militia force operating near Hainan archipelago and Vietnam’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos has threatened the maritime law enforcement and security - defence forces of China, the deputy spokesman noted: “We refutes those incorrect information about the marine self-defence militia force of Vietnam.”

He highlighted the country’s defence policy of peace, self-defence and basing on the people, citing the 2019 law on militia and self-defence forces which stipulates that the marine self-defence militia force is part of Vietnam’s self-defence militia force and has the tasks of safeguarding the country’s maritime sovereignty and maintaining security, order, and safety on seas and islands.

The marine self-defence militias and other authorised forces working at sea absolutely comply with Vietnamese laws and international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS, Viet emphasised.

He again declared that any act harming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, as well as the country’s sovereignty, sovereign right, and jurisdiction over its sea areas is valueless and not recognised, and Vietnam resolutely objects to such acts./.