Hoang Sa is Vietnam’s traditional fishing grounds: FM spokesman

Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Le Hai Binh speaks at the press conference. (Credit: VNA)

Answering reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s response to China’s unilateral ban on fishing in the East Sea at a regular press conference on May 21, Binh said that Vietnam will intensify management and closely monitor Vietnamese fishing activities in the waters of Vietnam in order to address arising incidents in a timely manner.

Mentioning China’s large-scale construction on reef islands altering the status quo and violating Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, the spokesman confirmed that Vietnam has full legal foundations and historical evidence proving its sovereignty on Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes.

All actions of parties in the area without Vietnam’s agreement are illegal and void, he added.

Vietnamese agencies are keeping an eye on operations in the East Sea, including the operation and position of China’s drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981.

Regarding CNN’s release of a video capturing Chinese naval ships chasing US aircraft flying above the international waters of the East Sea, Binh said that maintaining peace, stability, aviation and maritime security and safety in the East Sea, which forms an important international maritime route and aviation corridor, is in the common interest and of nations inside and outside the region.

Vietnam calls on countries concerned to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, aviation and maritime security and safety in the East Sea in a responsible and active manner, while respecting the sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction of coastal nations on the basis of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and to avoid complicating the situation, he stated.

Regarding the fact that Indonesia destroyed 41 captured foreign vessels at several sites on May 20 in a move said to stop illegal fishing in its waters, the spokesman called on Indonesia to appropriately address the issue of foreign fishing ships and fishermen supposedly operating in its waters in line with international law.

He said that Indonesia should pay attention to the concerns of countries involved when answering a question about Indonesia destroying foreign vessels allegedly captured trying to fish in its waters.

Indonesia should act in the spirit of treating the vessels and fisherman kindly, Binh said.

NDO/VNA