Belgium-Vietnam Friendship Association backs Vietnam’s stance on sovereignty in East Sea

Soldiers guard Truong Sa archipelago in East Sea (Photo: VNA)

Brussels (VNA) – The Belgium-Vietnam Friendship Association on March29 affirmed its backing for Vietnam’s stance on legitimate sovereignty in theEast Sea.

Regarding Vietnam’s requesting China to end activitiesviolating Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea, President of the associationPierre Grega said that the association is aware of tension escalation in the watersin recent weeks.

The association supports Vietnam’s stance on its legitimatesovereignty in the East Sea and shows firm support for all associationsrepresenting Vietnamese people.

China’s claims of sovereignty over almost the entire EastSea completely run counter to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), he added.

Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VNA)

On March 25, in response to a reporter’s question aboutVietnam’s position regarding Chinese ships operating at the Bai Ba Dau (WhitsunReef) in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, Vietnamese Foreign Ministryspokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said China must end its violation of Vietnam’ssovereignty in the East Sea.

The spokesperson stressed that Vietnam has sufficient legalgrounds and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over Truong Sa inaccordance with international law.

She went on to say that as a coastal country and a member ofthe UNCLOS, Vietnam is entitled to sovereignty, sovereign rights andjurisdiction over waters established in accordance with the UNCLOS.

“The operation of Chinese ships within the territorialwaters of Sinh Ton Dong island in the Spratly has violated Vietnam’ssovereignty and the UNCLOS’s stipulation on the operation of foreign vessels inthe territorial waters of coastal nations, run counter to the spirit andcontent of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), andcomplicated the situation which is unfavourable for the process of negotiationsbetween the ASEAN and China on a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(COC),” the spokesperson stressed. 

Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty,implement the UNCLOS with good will, seriously comply with the DOC, especiallythe obligation of self-restraint so as to not complicate the situation and tocreate a favourable environment for the COC negotiation, thus contributing tothe maintenance of peace, security, stability and legal order at sea in theregion, Hang said./.

VNA