Hanoi (VNA) – The Tu Chinh reef(internationally known as Vanguard Bank) is located in Vietnam’s200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and completely belongs to the country,defined in  line with the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).

According to the 1982 UNCLOS’s Article 56, in their exclusive economic zones,the littoral states are subject to enjoy sovereign rights over naturalresources, whether living or non-living, and other activities like energyproduction from water, currents and winds.

Therefore, all activities of foreign countries in Vietnam’s waters must beconducted in line with relevant regulations of the 1982 UNCLOS and Vietnameselaw. Those which are not allowed by Vietnam are all violations of  the country’s waters and international law andthe 1982 UNCLOS.

Pursuant to international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, no countries have the rightto authoritatively ask Vietnam to stop exploring  oil and gas fields in the waters belonging to her.

Any deliberate accusation that Vietnam is “unilaterally” conducting oil and gasexploration in the country’s exclusive economic zone is completely unreasonable.Is the statement aimed at turning the waters that completely belong toVietnam into a disputed area so as to impose the behavior  of  “powerbelongs to powers” and monopolise the East Sea?

The Tu Chinh reef is located near the international navigation route and playsan important role in Vietnam’s economic building and development, as well asthe country’s maritime sovereignty management and protection.

Vietnam’s territorial land and waters would be in the normal and stable conditionif there are no violations that ignore international law and complicate thesituation.

As a country that experienced years of wars, Vietnam always attaches importanceto peace, friendship and cooperation, and is ready to address with good willthe issues arising in international relations by political means.

It is Vietnam’s consistent policy to resolutely and persistently use peacefulmeasures in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS to struggle againstany violation of the country’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction inits waters as prescribed in the 1982 UNCLOS.

On that basis, Vietnam has been concertedly implementing peaceful measures inorder to protect its legitimate rights and interests.

Given China’s geological survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 violatingVietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the south of theEast Sea, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson said Vietnam has contacted the Chinese side for many timesvia different channels, handed over protest diplomatic notes and demanded Chinato immediately withdraw all of its vessels from Vietnam’s waters and to respectVietnam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction, for the sake of the relationsbetween the two countries and for regional stability and peace.

At the same time, theofficial also highlighted that Vietnam’s competent maritime forces havecontinuously taken many suitable measures to exercise the country’ssovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction peacefully and legally in aneffort to safeguard national waters.

Maintaining regional peace and order, and ensuring maritime security and safetyin the East Sea, including the Tu Chinh reef, on the basis of international lawwould bring about common interests to countries in the region and theinternational community.

Therefore, Vietnamhas been making efforts to fulfill the role of a responsible nation in theinternational community, and hopes that other countries will seriously implementinternational law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, in order to build a region of peacefuland stability, contributing to promoting peace and development in the world. -VNA