Expert Grigory Loksin (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Following China’s announcement of theestablishment of the so-called “Xisha district” (in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa(Paracel) archipelago) and “Nansha district” (in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly)archipelago) within “Sansha city”, international experts have condemned themove, saying it breaks international law.
The Economic Times of India said on April 21 that China’s actions ignore claimsby other concerned parties in the region and are a violation of the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as internationalstandards and law.
The article stressed that every country must respect international law andmaritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea.
On the same day, Channel News Asia quoted expert Bill Hayton from the Britishthink-tank Chatham House as saying that China has ratified the 1982 UNCLOS,which is quite clear on what States can and cannot claim as territory. YetChina seems to be going against UNCLOS by asserting sovereignty in far-awayplaces.
Meanwhile, Asia Times said Beijing has gone too far.
Grigory Loksin from the Centre for Vietnam and ASEAN Studies at the RussianAcademy of Sciences’ Institute of Far Eastern Studies said that China’s actionsviolate the UN Charter and UNCLOS, leading to a more complex and tensesituation regionally.
Vietnamese leaders, he went on, have carried out a responsible and reasonablepolicy amid the current situation. The country is doing everything it can toprotect its sovereignty and legal interests in the East Sea, whilesimultaneously making every effort to maintain peace and stability throughoutthe region.
In his opinion, as ASEAN Chair in 2020,Vietnam is taking measures to unite the ASEAN Community and offer common viewsto stand against China’s violation of international law.
“Vietnam, in its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, isdoing everything possible to clarify its position and win the support of theinternational community,” he said. “The country is keen to pursue an open andmultilateral policy, which has contributed to raising Vietnam’s reputation inthe international arena.”
On April 19, the spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Le Thi ThuHang said Vietnam has affirmed many times that it has sufficient historicalevidence and legal foundation to assert its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa andTruong Sa archipelagos.
She reiterated Vietnam’s strong opposition to the establishment of theso-called “Sansha city” and related acts, as they seriously violate Vietnam’ssovereignty, are invalid, are unrecognized, are not favourable for friendshipamong nations, and further complicate the situation in the East Sea, theregion, and the world.
“Vietnam demands that China respect its sovereignty, reverse its wrongfuldecisions, and not commit similar acts in the future,” she said./.
