More than four decades after national reunification, the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago has been changing day-by-day. Those who have helped beautify the islands and islets are also those who firmly defend Vietnam’s sovereignty over them.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on May 5 voiced grave concerns over China’s unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and the East Sea, during a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in London, the UK.
The international community has voiced protest against China's new moves in the East Sea, including its enforcement of a fishing ban that took effect on May 1 on the sea area covering part of the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and its continued deployment of ships to Bai Ba Dau (Whitsun Reef) in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
The election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and members of all level People’s Councils is a major political event in Vietnam, attracting the attention of all citizens, including those in remote areas. Join us to see how the soldiers and people in the island district of Truong Sa have been preparing for the election.
Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet underlined Vietnam’s objection to China’s recent fishing ban while detailing Vietnam’s viewpoints on several issues related to the East Sea at the ministry’s regular press conference on April 29.
The Tu Linh boat racing festival in the island district of Ly Son, the central province of Quang Ngai, has been recognised as part of the national intangible cultural heritage.
“Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) was held in Ly Son district, the central province of Quang Ngai, on April 19.
Vietnam requests that businesses respect the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, as well as its sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction over related waters in the East Sea, said Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang at the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on April 8.
Vietnam was the first country to have established sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (known as Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spartly) archipelagos when they were unclaimed territories. This is shown in many historical documents as well as ancient Vietnamese and foreign maps.
“The State of Vietnam was the first state in history to exercise its sovereignty over the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) since they were ownerless pieces of land, at least since the 17th century. Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence that has legal value to testify to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa,” an expert has said.
Vietnam supports the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and the principle of respect for the law on seas and oceans, in accordance with the provisions of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on February 4.
The installation of QR codes at tourism sites in Ly Son island district in central Quang Ngai province is being carried out by the management board of the Ly Son-Sa Huynh Geo-Park in coordination with district authorities, as part of efforts to promote digitalisation in the tourism sector.
Defence foreign policy has now become more critical than ever, as it plays an important role in creating a strategic enabling environment for both national defence and construction, especially in the maritime space.
The budget carrier Vietjet Air has been honoured among significant donors of the Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund and the fund’s “For the Beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” club.
The Vietnamese people have left their footprints on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands since ancient times. Historical evidence proves the country’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos, especially through ancient bibliographies.
Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said at the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on December 3.
The disputes in the East Sea (South China Sea) need to be resolved by the concerned parties, with cooperation of the international community as well as the region, said a Vietnamese expert.
Many international maritime routes pass through the East Sea, making it the world’s second-busiest shipping lane in terms of commercial activities, after the Mediterranean. The sea, however, has been threatened with potential instability from frequent piracy, while sovereignty disputes over islands are becoming more complex.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong has asked localities and competent agencies to undertake a sweeping response to Storm Vamco, which entered the East Sea on the morning of November 12 and has been erratic and unpredictable.
Storm Goni is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by 1am on November 6, with its centre on the sea off the coast of the south-central localities from Quang Ngai to Phu Yen, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.