Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has demanded China toimmediately end violations and withdraw all vessels from her waters, respect hersovereign right and jurisdiction, for the sake of the bilateral relations andfor peace and stability in the region, said Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson LeThi Thu Hang on July 19.  

She made the statement in response to reporters’ queriesabout Vietnam’s stance on the statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokespersonon July 17 about the developments in the East Sea.

Hang said Chinese geological survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8 has recently violatedVietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the south of theEast Sea which fully belongs to Vietnam in line with the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both Vietnam and China aremembers.

Vietnam has contactedthe Chinese side for many times via different channels, handed over diplomaticnotes to protest the violations, she said, adding that Vietnam’s authorities atsea continue adopting proper measures to enforce sovereignty, sovereign rightand jurisdiction in a peaceful manner and in line with international law toprotect the country’s waters.

As confirmedby the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson on July 16, Vietnam’sconsistent stance is to resolutely struggle with peaceful measures in line withinternational law and the 1982 UNCLOS against any violation of its sovereignty,sovereign right and jurisdiction over the seas defined in line with the 1982UNCLOS, she said.

The officialadded that maintaining order, peace and security in the East Sea is a commoninterest of countries in and outside the region as well as the internationalcommunity. Therefore, Vietnam wants countries concerned and the internationalcommunity to protect and maintain such joint interest.-VNA