Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang on Monday reaffirmed Viet Nam’s sovereignty stance over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos. 

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang

In respose to reporters’ queries regarding China’s live-fire military exercises in the East Viet Nam Sea, the Spokesperson said Viet Nam’s consistent stance is that all activities in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos without Viet Nam’s permission are violations of Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos.

Such activities are not conducive to peace, stability, order, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, Hang added.

Earlier on August 26, the Spokesperson made it clear that China’s organization of consecutive military exercises in the waters to the north-northeast of Viet Nam’s Hoang Sa archipelago has violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the archipelago.

China’s act runs counter to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and complicates the situation in the East Sea, which is unfavorable for the current negotations between China and ASEAN on a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) and the maintenance of a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment in the East Sea.

“Viet Nam demands China respect Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, stop and not repeat such violations,” Hang stressed./