China’s acitons, regardless of objections and concerns raised by Vietnam and the global community, not only seriously encroach on Vietnam’s sovereignty and accelerate militarization in the East Sea, but also threaten peace and stability in the region as well as security, safety and freedom of aviation and navigation in the East Sea. Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh made the statement at the press briefing on Thursday in reply to reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s reaction to China’s deployment of warplanes to Phu Lam island in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago and its radar system on several features in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago. Binh re-affirmed that Vietnam has indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes. Vietnam … [Read more...] about Vietnam calls for responsible and constructive actions in East Sea
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Seminar on East Sea held at European Parliament
The Gabriel Péri Foundation of France held an international seminar on the East Sea at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on November 21. An overview of the seminar on East SeaThe event, the third of its kind held by the foundation, gathered lawyers, professors and diplomats from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the US, France and Switzerland who delivered speeches on the current geo-politic situation, issues related to relevant international laws and parties’ conduct in the East Sea and several policy suggestions for the EU.Many said that there are several changes in the East Sea in recent times, including fishing-related policies, environmental protection, and construction which alters the status quo at the sea.They all agreed that international law must be a foundation for all solutions.Prof. Erik Franckx from the Free University of Brussels mentioned China’s rejection of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)’s ruling on the East Sea while many … [Read more...] about Seminar on East Sea held at European Parliament
EAS leaders reaffirm importance of keeping peace, stability in East Sea
Leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states and partner countries have reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and security in the East Sea, internationally known as South China Sea, while attending the recent 12th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Manila, the Philippines. Leaders of ASEAN countries and dialogue partners pose for a photo at the 12th East Asia Summit in Manila, the PhilippinesAccording to the EAS Chairman’s statement released on November 21, the EAS leaders “are encouraged by the adoption of the framework of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea (COC), which will facilitate the work and negotiation for the conclusion of a substantive and effective COC.”They welcomed the announcement of the start of substantive negotiations on the COC between ASEAN and China at the 20th ASEAN-China Summit and the subsequent convening of the 23rd ASEAN-China Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC in Vietnam in early 2018.The statement … [Read more...] about EAS leaders reaffirm importance of keeping peace, stability in East Sea
Call for peace, stability in East Sea repeated at international workshop
Participants at an international workshop in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province, once again underscored the necessity of maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea. The event attracted nearly 100 scholars and researchers from institutes and universities in Vietnam, the US, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and India. Nearly 30 speeches delivered at three discussion panels focused on the legal status of islands and rocks in international law, sovereignty disputes over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, and The Hague tribunal’s ruling on the Philippines’ lawsuit against China. They stressed the importance of free navigation and overflight in line with international law in the East Sea to both regional countries and others around the world. They also reiterated the principle of resolving international disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the … [Read more...] about Call for peace, stability in East Sea repeated at international workshop
Vietnam informs international organisations on East Sea situation
The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations Office, the World Trade Organisation and Other International Organisations in Geneva on May 20 issued a press release on the recent developments in the East Sea and Vietnam’s position on the situation. The press release gave detailed descriptions of China’s move since May 2, 2014 when it installed the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. It emphasized that the operation of the drilling platform and supporting ships constitutes an intentional and grave violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and jurisdiction on the Hoang Sa Archipelago, and its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. This also seriously violates the agreement reached between the leaders of the two countries as well as going against the spirit and language of the 2002 Declaration on the Conducts of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and relevant provisions of international law, particularly the … [Read more...] about Vietnam informs international organisations on East Sea situation