China demanded to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago

Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang emphasised the demand that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty while replying to reporters’ question about China’s three-month fishing ban in the East Sea, including the waters of Vietnam, on April 29.

She stated that Vietnam’s stance on China’s fishing ban in the East Sea is consistent and has been asserted clearly over the past years.

Accordingly, part of this ban’s scope has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and the country’s sovereign right and jurisdiction identified in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the agreement on the delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin signed by the two countries in 2000.

Vietnam demands China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, sovereign right, and jurisdiction over Vietnam’s sea areas when implementing measures for conserving fisheries resources in the East Sea; not complicate the situation; and contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, and order in the East Sea, Hang added.

VNA