The spokeswoman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that Vietnam has indisputable sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.
Spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga made the statement on May 27 when she fielded questions from reporters about recent news that China had officially launched a mobile phone network on Da Chu Thap island in the Truong Sa archipelago.
“All foreign activities in these two archipelagos without Vietnam’s approval violate Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereignty rights and jurisdiction,” said Ms Phuong Nga. “We request that until disputes have been settled, all concerned parties take no action that would complicate the situation in the East Sea.”
When asked about the tensions on the Korean peninsula, Ms Phuong Nga said that Vietnam is closely monitoring the situation and the results of the investigation into the sinking of a Republic of Korea warship. She said Vietnam’s stance is to oppose the use of violence in international relations and to support peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. She expressed hopes that the Cheonan ship incident will be settled properly for the sake of peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region.
Source: VOV