During the conference on Saturday, Vietnamese historian Nguyen Nha presented historical evidence that supports Vietnam’s claim of sovereignty over the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa ( Paracel) archipelagos. He pointed out that Vietnam’s inalienable sovereign rights were recorded in historical documents, geography books, and other formal documents by central and local governments in the 19^th century, and in many Western documents in the 19^th century. Professor Carlyle Thayer of New South Wales University also presented legal foundations and practical policies to settle East Sea disputes. He spoke of the geo-strategic significance of Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos, the role of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the ways ASEAN and China have addressed the issue.