The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has demanded Chinato immediately stop violations, withdraw all vessels from Vietnam’s exclusiveeconomic zone and not have actions to increase tensions, complicate thesituation, and threaten peace, stability and security in the East Sea and theregion, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.
Hang made the statement at the ministry’sregular press conference in Hanoi on August 22 while answering reporters’queries about Vietnam’s reaction since China’s survey vessel group HaiyangDizhi 8 returned to Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
Over the past days, China’ssurvey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 returned and continued their seriousinfringements of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelfdetermined by regulations of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (UNCLOS), she said.
“Vietnam’s competent forces at sea havecontinued to enforce and protect Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign right, andjurisdiction in accordance with international law and the country’s law,” the Spokeswomansaid.
With the determination to safeguard thecountry’s legitimate rights and interests and contribute to regional and internationalpeace, stability and security, Vietnam is always willing to settle disputes viapeaceful measures in line with international law, she affirmed.
Vietnam called on all relevant countries and theinternational community to make active and practical contributions to themaintenance of order, peace, and security in the region, as well as security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, while respecting the principleof obey the law in the East Sea in conformity with international law, especiallythe UNCLOS, Hang added.
While answering reporters’ queries about thefirst maritime exercise between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) and the US in the Gulf of Thailand, Hang said the event will take placefrom September 2-6 under an agreement signed between ASEAN and US defenceministers in 2018.
As a member of the ASEAN, Vietnam will take partin this manoeuvres, she confirmed.-VNA
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