Vietnam resolutely and persistently pursues measures in line with international law, including 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to exercise its sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly) as well as its sovereignty, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and legitimate interests over its territorial waters, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on November 21.
The maritime search and rescue coordination centre in region 4 on March 16 rescued and brought ashore a fisherman, who was seriously injured while fishing in the territorial waters around Spratly (Truong Sa) archipelago.
Whenever March comes, people across Vietnam turn their hearts to Gac Ma Reef of Truong Sa archipelago, a sacred territorial part of the Fatherland, to pay tribute to officers and soldiers who heroically fought until their last breath for the country’s maritime sovereignty.
Despite China’s unilateral and unreasonable fishing ban in the East Sea, fishermen in central Vietnam are fishing within the country’s territorial waters in areas where sovereignty has been proven for generations.
Vietnam resolutely opposes Chinese survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8’s continued serious violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty right and jurisdiction in territorial waters as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.
Vietnam has made contact with China to oppose its repeated serious violation and demand the country to withdraw its survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 and escort ships out of Vietnam’s territorial waters, the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on August 16.
Singapore and Malaysia agreed to conduct measures to ease air and maritime tensions, according to a joint statement issued after a meeting between their foreign ministers on January 8.
Indonesian authorities said on August 21 that Indonesia has simultaneously sunk 125 foreign ships for illegal fishing in the country’s territorial waters.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has said that China’s temporary ban of fishing activities in Vietnam’s territorial waters is worthless.
The Philippines received three secondhand TC90 surveillance aircraft from Japan to strengthen the naval force’s capacity and stay ready to respond to increasing maritime challenges and threats.
A collision between US Navy destroyer USS John S McCain and Alnic MC oil tanker in Singapore’s territorial waters on August last year was due to a "sudden turn" made by the warship.
Indonesia’s top officials have called for an end to the policy of blowing up foreign fishing vessels caught illegally fishing in the country’s territorial waters.
A photo exhibition, entitled “Vietnam’s Hoang Sa, Truong Sa: historical and legal evidence”, opened at Nam Ha prison in the northern province of Ha Nam on September 11.
Vietnam called on all countries to actively and pragmatically contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, and respect international law.
