Vietnam once again declares that the country has sufficient legal and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh on April 16.
His statement was in reply to reporters’ queries about Vietnam’s response to the April 9 speech by Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying about the expansion of underground reefs in Truong Sa.
On this issue, he said Vietnam has conducted a number of interventions, including high-level exchanges with China.
Each construction and expansion project by foreigners on reef islands in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa that is not explicitly permitted by the Government of Vietnam is illegal and invalid, he stated.
Vietnam firmly opposes the above actions and has asked parties concerned to fully abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and make practical contributions to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, he added.-VNA
His statement was in reply to reporters’ queries about Vietnam’s response to the April 9 speech by Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying about the expansion of underground reefs in Truong Sa.
On this issue, he said Vietnam has conducted a number of interventions, including high-level exchanges with China.
Each construction and expansion project by foreigners on reef islands in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa that is not explicitly permitted by the Government of Vietnam is illegal and invalid, he stated.
Vietnam firmly opposes the above actions and has asked parties concerned to fully abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and make practical contributions to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, he added.-VNA
