Vietnam asks Taiwan to cancel illegal military drill on Spratly Islands

“Taiwan’s live-fire drill in the waters around Ba Binh Island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa Archipelago is a serious violation of Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty, threatening peace, maritime stability, safety and security, causing tension and complicating the situation in the East Sea,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Friday.

Hang made the statement when asked about Taiwan having conducted live-fire drills in the waters around Itu Aba, known as Ba Binh Island in Vietnam, on November 29.

Hang said that Vietnam has for many years affirmed a clear and consistent stance towards Taiwan’s conduct of live-fire firing in the waters around the island.

“Vietnam resolutely opposes and asks Taiwan to cancel the above illegal activities and not repeat similar violations,” she said.

Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands in accordance with international law, she pointed out.

Ba Binh is the largest natural island in the Truong Sa archipelago of Vietnam.

Taiwan illegally occupies the island and once deployed marine force there. Since 2000, Taiwan has replaced its garrison on Itu Aba with a marine police unit, equipped with weapons such as machine guns and long-range mortars.