China’s unilateral activities in East Sea violate UNCLOS: Japanese expert

Tokyo (VNA) – China’s recent activities in the East Sea are more unilateral and provocation, seriously violating the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), said Professor Daisuke Hosokawa at the Osaka University of Economics.

Hosokawa said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency that China is trying to change the status quo in the East Sea. Therefore, Beijing will continue its provocative activities in the waters in the time ahead.

The professor made the comments in the context that many countries have expressed their deep concern over escalating tensions in the East Sea due to China’s illegal activities, especially the deployment of survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 to Tu Chinh reef (internationally known as Vanguard Bank) in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. The activities have seriously violated international law, infringed sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction, and hindered legal oil and gas activities in exclusive economic zones of Vietnam and other coastal nations.

Vietnam’s reactions toward Chinese activities are generally good and appropriate, he said, suggesting that the country need to continue affirming its sovereignty and condemning China’s illegal activities.

Hosokawa said Vietnam will come back to the ASEAN Chair next year and the country can do more actively than before.

The professor expressed his hope that Vietnam will make efforts to make ASEAN stronger./.