Speakers present speeches at the conference VNA/VNS Photo

PARIS – A conference themed “East Sea and the Sovereignty of Việt Nam” was held in Paris on June 10, attracting the participation of many Vietnamese and foreign scholars.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Đinh Toàn Thắng said this event is of great significance for overseas Vietnamese, especially those living in Europe, showing their affection and attachment to their homeland and their concern with major national issues.

Organised under the initiative of the Liaison Board of Overseas Vietnamese in Europe, the conference received 14 speeches from scholars, professors, doctors and researchers on Asia and the East Sea, as well as economists and educators from European countries such as Poland, Germany, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, and Canada, and Việt Nam.

The presentations mentioned many points of view on the East Sea and Việt Nam's sovereignty over sea and islands, from the historical, cultural, political and legal perspectives. The situation in the East Sea, solutions to handle disputes, and options for marine economic development were also discussed at the event.

History Professor Patrice Jorland, former president of the France-Việt Nam Friendship Association, told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Paris that Việt Nam has sovereignty in the East Sea, with historical evidence showing that the country has asserted sovereignty over Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagoes since the end of the 18th century, under the Nguyễn Dynasty.

The French professor also stressed that the parties concerned need to respect international law, and that ASEAN, of which Việt Nam is an active member, should strengthen solidarity, promote diplomatic efforts and negotiations, and avoid using force to settle disputes.

Malgorzata Pietrasiak, a professor at the University of Lodz in Poland and an expert on Việt Nam, appreciated the country's method of handling issues at sea, which she called the term "Hedgingowa" (roughly translated as "risk prevention").

According to her, this is a wise, flexible and peaceful strategy, without tension, but also without concession. She said this method has affirmed the effectiveness of Việt Nam's diplomacy in international politics. VNS