(VOVworld) - As a coastal country with legitimate rights and interests in the East Sea, Viet Nam cares about and closely follows the evolution of the Philippines’ lawsuit against China. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi made the statement while answering reporters’ query on Viet Nam’s stance in response to the news that the Chief Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea on April 24 officially appointed a panel of arbitrators to hear the Philippines’ case against China’s claims in the East Sea. Nghi affirmed that Viet Nam has sufficient legal and historical evidence and real management to prove its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction rights over the waters in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, international treaties to which Viet Nam has signed or acceded, and its legal documents.

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thanh Nghi

The spokesman said that Viet Nam will apply all “proper and necessary peaceful measures” to protect its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction right, as well as legitimate national interests in the East Sea in line with the UN Charter, international law and 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Viet Nam has once again affirmed its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos; and its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction right over internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in the East Sea.