Vietnam moving to ensure international law at sea

"Regarding cases of violations on Vietnam’s sea regions, sovereignty and jurisdictional rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Vietnamese authorities are deploying appropriate measures in accordance with Vietnamese and international law to ensure our legal rights and interests," said deputy spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang at a press conference.

She was responding to inquiries regarding a Chinese research vessel operating in the East Sea in violation of Vietnam’s EEZ.

The Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 10, along with several other Chinese vessels, have been moving towards the Vanguard Bank, a reef located inside Vietnam’s EEZ, since earlier this month, South China Morning Post reported.

Vietnam has requested all relevant parties to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty, international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

The ministry called upon all involved to contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the region in practical and positive ways, while creating a conducive environment for negotiations of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). Vietnam calls the waters the East Sea.

China has previously sent vessels to the Vanguard Bank area in July 2019. Vietnam asked China to withdraw the vessels, which they did in October 2019.

In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), any research and survey activities within a country’s EEZ must be approved by that country.