Politics & Law
PM attends inauguration of upgraded statue of President Hồ Chí Minh in Santo Domingo
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| Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam asks China, as a large nation in the region and the world, to perform its responsibilities in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng yesterday.
Hằng spoke in reply to reporters’ questions about news in foreign media that China has placed missiles at structures it illegally constructed on Việt Nam’s Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
"Việt Nam is deeply concerned about the information," said Hằng, affirming that "all militarised activities, including the installation of missiles on the Trường Sa archipelago, seriously violate the country’s sovereignty over the islands, violate the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Việt Nam and China and infringe on the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China". "The actions cause tension and instability in the region and harm efforts to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea," she added.
“Việt Nam has sufficient legal foundations and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa archipelagos in line with international law,” she stressed.
"Việt Nam asks China not to conduct military activities and withdraw all military equipment that it has illegally deployed in areas where Việt Nam claims sovereignty," Hằng underscored.
She also requested China respect Việt Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa archipelagos, and strictly abide by the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Việt Nam and China as well as the DOC. — VNS
