China must immediately cancel its national plan on islandsprotection, strictly follow DOC and take no more actions that maycomplicate the situation in the East Sea , said spokesperson of theVietnamese Foreign Ministry Luong Thanh Nghi.
Spokesman Nghi made the statement on April 24 while answering reporters’questions on China State Oceanic Administration’s announcement on April19 of the national plan on islands protection and exploration for the2011-2020 period and vision to 2030. The plan divides the East Seainto seven sea areas, including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos ofVietnam .
“Vietnam affirms its undisputablesovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagosand national sovereignty and jurisdiction rights in the exclusiveeconomic zone and the continental shelf under the regulations of the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the spokesman said.
“The Chinese State Oceanic Administration’s announcement of theimplementation of the national plan on islands protection andexploration
seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty over the twoarchipelagos and its sovereignty and jurisdiction rights in itsexclusive economic zone and the continental shelf; disregards the 1982UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and is contrary to the Declarationon the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC),” he said.-VNA