Vietnam condemns China's live-fire drill in East Sea

• Vietnam condemns violence, abuses targeting civilians
• Vietnam strongly condemns terror attacks in Indonesia
• Vietnam resolutely opposes Taiwan (China)’s live-fire drill on Ba Binh island

The Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang made the statement during a press conference in Hanoi on May 31.

Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

Regarding Vietnam’s reaction to China’s live-fire exercise in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, Hang emphasized that, from May 9-12, China conducted its live-fire drills in the islands, severely infringing Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelago, and running counter to the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China as well as the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

The acts have complicated the situation in the East Sea, and affected negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between ASEAN and China as well as the maintenance of peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea, she added.

“Vietnam asks China to stop and not to repeat similar activities, to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, the common perspectives reached by senior leaders of the two countries and international law while ending all moves that can escalate tensions and complicate the situation in the region,” the Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang stressed.

*Regarding Taiwan’s activities, especially the live-fire drill in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago from May 23-25, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson affirmed that Vietnam has sufficient legal foundations and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos according to international law.

She emphasized that the Taiwanese acts seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelago, threatened peace, stability and maritime safety and security, caused tensions and complicated the situation in the East Sea.