Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Việt Nam has made contact with China to oppose its repeated serious violations and demand the country withdraw its survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 and escort ships out of Việt Nam’s territorial waters, the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng said yesterday.
Hang made the statement while answering reporters’ queries regarding the return of survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 to Việt Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
The spokeswoman cited information from competent agencies as saying that the Chinese vessel group and a number of escort ships came back to Việt Nam’s territorial waters on Tuesday.
"The waters totally belong to Việt Nam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," Hằng stressed.
"Việt Nam has asked China to respect Việt Nam’s sovereign right, jurisdiction and other legal and legitimate rights and interests in line with the 1982 UNCLOS and international law," she said.

"Vietnamese authorised forces have continued implementing measures to exercise Việt Nam’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction in accordance with Vietnamese and international law," Hằng added.

Việt Nam has attached great importance to peace, security and respect for law in the East Sea, and has goodwill to settle disputes through peaceful measures, according to the spokesperson.

Việt Nam also treasures and wants to promote friendly ties with China for the sake of the two countries and their people, and for peace, stability and security in the region and the world at large, and at the same time, it is resolved and consistent in protecting its legal and legitimate rights and interests. 

"Việt Nam calls on related countries and the international community to actively contribute to maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea, as well as the region and the world," she added. VNS