Vietnam stresses peaceful solutions for East Sea disputes

“Vietnam’s consistent stance is that disputes in the East Sea between relevant parties need to be resolved with peaceful methods in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while respecting diplomatic and legal procedures and contributing to peace and cooperation in the East Sea,” spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said in a press release.

Vietnam calls the South China Sea the East Sea.

Hang said Vietnam has sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel islands in accordance with international law, as well as legal rights over Vietnamese sea regions as determined by UNCLOS.

On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in the Netherlands, rejected China’s “nine-dash line” map, which claims 90% of the South China Sea is China’s.

The case had been brought forth by the Philippines in 2013. China does not recognize the ruling, and is trying to cement their illegal claims by building structures and militarizing artificial islands in the area.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has many times condemned China’s illegal operations in the East Sea, asserting that any activities conducted without Vietnam’s consent in the Spratly and Paracel islands are invalid.