China’s ban on fishing in waters in the East Sea has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago and further complicated the East Sea situation, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga made the statement in response to questions from the media on May 13 about China’s announcement on the management scheme of a non-fishing season in the East Sea from 12hrs on May 16 to 12hrs on August 1, 2011. The scheme, which was posted on Hainan province’s Haikou Municipal Government website on May 11, covers some areas under Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea.

Nga reiterated, "Vietnam has indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos and sovereignty and jurisdiction rights over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in line with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“China’s unilateral execution of a fishing ban in the East Sea is a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, the country’s sovereign and jurisdiction rights over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), making the East Sea situation more complicated,” the spokeswoman emphasised.

She said the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry had met the Chinese side to lodge a protest over China’s announcement./.