Việt Nam resolutely protects sovereignty over islands: Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Spokesperson for Việt Nam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam resolutely and persistently takes measures in accordance with international law to exercise and protect its sovereignty over Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng made the statement regarding China's official enforcement of the revised Maritime Traffic Safety Law, which took effect starting September 1.

“Việt Nam resolutely and persistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its waters determined in line with the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982),” she said.

She noted that countries needed to comply with the international treaties to which they are members, especially the UNCLOS 1982 – a legal framework governing all activities at sea – when following their domestic sea-related laws.

China’s new amended law says that foreign ships entering Chinese territorial waters must register with the country’s maritime authorities, enables China’s maritime security agency to order foreign ships out of its claimed territorial waters if they are deemed to pose a threat to security, or prevents ships from gaining entry into waters altogether if deemed not exercising a right of innocent passage.

The move drew widespread concern as China has laid claim to the vast majority of the South China Sea, which is disputed by many other claimants in the region, including Việt Nam. — VNS