We recommend that countries respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa

During the regular press conference on June 4, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang was asked to comment on recent statements by China and the Netherlands regarding the activities of the Dutch corvette De Ruyter in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense said that the corvette HNLMS De Ruyter on May 27 made a journey through the East Sea to carry out diplomatic, security and economic tasks in accordance with the provisions of international law.

Zhai Shichen, spokesman for the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command, said that he had deployed air and sea forces to “drive away” the Dutch guard ship near the Paracel Islands.

“As has been repeatedly affirmed, Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis to affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago in accordance with international law. Vietnam requests other countries to respect this reality,” Ms. Hang said.

As a member country of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and a country coastal to the East Sea, Vietnam always respects the freedom of navigation and aviation of countries in the East Sea in accordance with the provisions of international law, especially UNCLOS, Ms. Hang said.

The Hoang Sa archipelago includes more than 30 islands, coral reefs, sand dunes and reefs in the East Sea. Vietnam has repeatedly stated that there is sufficient legal basis and historical evidence to assert sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.