Vietnam protests Taiwan’s illegal drills on Truong Sa Islands

The fact that Taiwan performs live fire drills in sea areas around Truong Sa Archipelago’s Ba Binh (Itu Aba) Island is a serious violation of Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty, threatening peace, stability, safety and maritime security by escalating and complicating the East Sea situation, said foreign ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang. East Sea is how Vietnam calls the South China Sea.

She was speaking at a press meet, responding to inquiries about the fire drills by Taiwanese defense forces on the Itu Aba Island on November 24.

Hang said Vietnam resolutely opposes the violations and asks Taiwan not to perform the illegal drills or repeat such violations in the future.

Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands in accordance with international law, she said.

Taiwan illegally occupies the Ba Binh Island, which is the largest natural area on the Spratly Archipelago.