Vietnam resolutely and consistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) through peaceful means based on international law, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on July 25.
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| Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang__Photo: VNA |
Hang made the affirmation while responding to a reporter’s query regarding Chinese geological survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8’s recent activities violating Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the south of the East Sea, which fully belongs to Vietnam in line with the 1982 UNCLOS, to which both Vietnam and China are members.
Vietnam has contacted the Chinese side many times via different channels, handed over diplomatic notes to protest China’s violations and demanded China immediately withdraw all vessels from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
Vietnamese forces have carried out proper measures, she said, adding that maintaining peace and stability as well as ensuring freedom of aviation and navigation, obeying the law and respecting sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of nations as stipulated in the 1982 UNCLOS are the common interests and responsibilities of countries and the international community.
“Vietnam welcomes and stands ready to join efforts with countries and the international community to realize the above-said target for peace, stability, cooperation and development of all nations in the region and the world,” the spokeswoman said.
WTO’s commitments
In reply to queries about Vietnam’s response to India’s anti-dumping investigation on stainless rolled steel imported from Vietnam, Hang said Vietnam always seriously and fully delivers on commitments of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as free trade agreements.
The Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership and bilateral economic ties are growing soundly, and trade issues should be considered in a fair and objective manner in compliance with world trade regulations and bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to which they are members, ensuring legitimate interests of the two countries’ businesses and consumers, she said.
VN-US partnership
The Vietnam-US partnership is developing fruitfully across spheres, covering national defense and security, spokeswoman Hang said.
Responding to a query on new US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, she said: “We hope that the new US Secretary of Defense will make significant contributions to the Vietnam-US relations, especially in the sphere of national defense.”
Esper was sworn in after receiving Senate confirmation on July 23, according to foreign media.- (VNS/VLLF)
