HCMC – Vietnam has opposed China’s recent military exercises including missile tests in the East Sea, especially in the waters off Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said at a press briefing on August 31.
Hang said all activities in the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos without Vietnam’s permission are invalid and violate the country’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos.
“Such activities are not conducive to peace, stability, order, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea,” she added.
The United States Department of Defense confirmed on August 27 that China launched four missiles into an area in the East Sea between Hainan Province and the Hoang Sa Archipelago during its military drill from August 23 to 29.
Vietnam reaffirmed that China’s naval exercises and live-fire drills in the East Sea go against the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, destabilize the situation at sea and are not conducive to the ongoing negotiations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea and affect the peace, stability and cooperation at sea.
“Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Archipelago and cease repeating similar violations,” Hang stressed.
