Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang responded to questions related to the situation on the East Sea, where several Chinese vessels reportedly appeared near Tri Ton island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago:

'Vietnamese agencies always keep a close watch over all activities in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos as well as on Vietnamese waters in the East Sea. Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence and legal grounds to testify to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa in accordance with international law. As a member of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), Vietnam has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over related waters in the East Sea as defined in line with the Convention,' said Hang.

Regarding national sovereignty over sea and islands, the spokeswoman commented on a report that the Chief of Staff of the Philippine armed forces made a trip to Thi Tu island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa: 'Vietnam resolutely protests all violations of its sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. Vietnam requests that all concerned parties respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and international law as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and take no actions to complicate the situation while making practical and positive contributions to the maintenance of peace on the East Sea as well as creating favorable conditions for the negotiation on a Code of Conduct on the sea (COC).'