Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has affirmed many times and reiteratedthat the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos are inseparableparts of its territory, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

She made the statement at a regular press conference of the ForeignMinistry on August 20, in response to media questions on Vietnam’s stance regardingChina deploying an H-6J bomber to Phu Lam Island in the Hoang Sa archipelago inearly August.

Vietnam has sufficient legal basis and historical evidence affirming itssovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa in line with international law, shesaid, adding that the deployment of weapons and fighter aircraft to Hoang Sa notonly is a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty but also further exacerbates the situationin the East Sea.

“We call on parties to make responsible contributions to maintainingpeace, stability, and security in the East Sea,” Hang said.

Commenting on information that thousands of Chinese fishing vessels couldflock to the East Sea after China’s fishing ban expires, Hang said Vietnam’sstance on the so-called fishing ban has been clearly stated.

On May 8, the spokesperson said in reply to questions about China’sfishing ban in the East Sea from May 1 to August 16 that as a coastal country inthe East Sea and a member of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),Vietnam has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in waters asdefined in the convention, and enjoys other legitimate rights in waters inaccordance with the convention.

She made it clear that Vietnam rejects China’s unilateral decision. Inthe current global and regional context, Vietnam asks that China not furthercomplicate the East Sea situation, she said./.