People and vessels operating in Vietnam’s sea border areas will be put under stricter supervision and control, according to Government Decree No. 71/2015/ND-CP dated September 3.
Activities prohibited in sea border areas include illegal construction and installation of works and equipment; acts threatening the safety of border works; research, investigation, survey, exploration and exploitation without prior permission of Vietnamese competent agencies; military drill and training with any types of weapon and in any form without permission of Vietnamese competent agencies; flight in no-flight zones; launching of aircrafts likely to threaten national defense, security, economic conditions and aviation safety; landing ships or other objects in violation of Vietnamese law; filming, photo taking, drawing or radio broadcasting and reception in restricted areas.
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| An on-duty ship of the Vietnam Coast Guard__Photo: Trong Duc/VNA |
When entering sea border areas,Vietnamese citizens, except those possessing books of household permanent residence in the sea border areas, will have to produce their identification cards, passports or papers proving they are non-commissioned officers or soldiers of the People’s Army or the Public Security forces. If wishing to stay overnight, they will have to register with commune-level police offices.
Meanwhile, a foreigner temporarily or permanently residing in Vietnam, when traveling to a sea border commune or when entering an island (except tourist and service centers and economic zones) is required to show his/her valid passport or passport substitute, visa granted by a Vietnamese competent agency, papers proving his/her residence in Vietnam and a permit for entering the border area granted by the provincial-level Public Security Department of the locality where he/she resides or arrives in. In case of overnight stay, he/she is required to register, through the manager of the accommodation establishment where he/she stays, with the commune-level police office.
Under the Decree, sea patrol forces have the right to pursue foreign ships that commit, or show signs of committing, violations of Vietnamese law in the internal waters or territorial seas, or people and vessels from sea border areas to the internal waters.
The pursuit of such foreign ships will be done continuously in contiguous areas and outside Vietnam’s territorial seas until these ships enter territorial seas of other countries or territories.
Sea patrol forces may use supporting tools and weapons prescribed by law if violating ships fail to obey their commanders’ orders, the Decree says.- (VLLF)
