Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng . — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam resolutely and consistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) through peaceful means based on international law, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng said on Thursday.

Hằng made the affirmation while responding to a reporter’s query regarding Chinese geological survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8’s recent activities violating Việt Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the south of the East Sea, which fully belongs to Việt Nam in line with the 1982 UNCLOS, to which both Việt Nam and China are members.

Việt Nam has contacted the Chinese side many times via different channels, handed over diplomatic notes to protest China’s violations and demanded China immediately withdraw all vessels from Việt Nam’s exclusive economic zone.

Vietnamese forces have carried out proper measures, she said, adding that maintaining peace and stability as well as ensuring freedom of aviation and navigation, obeying the law and respecting sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of nations as stipulated in the 1982 UNCLOS are the common interests and responsibilities of countries and the international community.

“Việt Nam welcomes and stands ready to join efforts with countries and the international community to realise the above-said target for peace, stability, co-operation and development of all nations in the region and the world,” the spokeswoman said.

WTO’s commitments

In reply to queries about Việt Nam’s response to India’s anti-dumping investigation on stainless rolled steel imported from Việt Nam, Hằng said Việt Nam always seriously and fully delivers on commitments of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as free trade agreements.

The Việt Nam-India comprehensive strategic partnership and bilateral economic ties are growing soundly, and trade issues should be considered in a fair and objective manner in compliance with world trade regulations and bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to which they are members, ensuring legitimate interests of the two countries’ businesses and consumers, she said.

VN-US partnership

The Việt Nam-US partnership is developing fruitfully across spheres, covering national defence and security, spokeswoman Hằng said.

Responding to a query on new US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, she said: “We hope that the new US Secretary of Defence will make significant contributions to the Việt Nam-US relations, especially in the sphere of national defence.”
Esper was sworn in after receiving Senate confirmation on July 23, according to foreign media. — VNS