Vietnam protests China’s establishment of the so-called Sansha city and
the Chinese Central Military Commission’s official decision to form a
garrison command on Phu Lam island in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago on
July 19 and China’s organisation of the election of the first Municipal
People’s Congress of the so-called Sansha city on July 21.
On July 24, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi
said: “China’s establishment of the so-called Sansha city and its
implementation of the above-mentioned activities have seriously violated
international law and Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa
(Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, and are void.”
“China’s
activities run counter to the common perception of the two countries’
leaders, violate the agreement on basic principles on the settlement of
sea issues between Vietnam and China signed in October 2011, and goes
against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the
East Sea signed between ASEAN and China in 2002, thus making the
situation in the East Sea more complicated.
“Vietnam
resolutely opposes China’s above-mentioned activities and requests
China respect Vietnam's sovereignty, immediately stop and cancel its wrongful
activities, thus making practical contributions to the development of
friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China as well as
maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.
“The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry on July 24 sent a dispatch of protest to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.”
The
same day, Chairman of the People’s Committee of the central coastal
city of Da Nang Van Huu Chien and Chairman of the People’s Committee
of the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa Nguyen Chien Thang
released a statement opposing China’s aforementioned activities.
The
authorities and people of Da Nang city and Khanh Hoa province are once
again deeply concerned and dissatisfied at the Chinese Central Military
Commission’s official decision to form a garrison command of the
so-called Sansha city on July 19 and China’s organisation of the
election of the first Municipal People’s Congress of the so-called
Sansha city on July 21, they said.
China’s wrongful
activities cannot change the fact that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa
archipelagoes are inseparable part of Vietnam’s territory, they
added.
Da Nang city and Khanh Hoa province strongly oppose
and request China immediately stop activities violating international
law and Vietnam’s law, blocking joint efforts to maintain peace and
stability in the East Sea and damaging the two peoples’ friendship.-VNA