All acts in Hoang Sa, Truong Sa without Vietnam’s approval are null and void

All acts undertaken by other parties in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes without Vietnam’s permission are illegal, null and void, stated the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh. Photo by VOV.

Spokesperson Le Hai Binh made the statement at the press briefing on Thursday while answering reporters’ query on Vietnam’s response to a report saying that China is constructing a new island in Truong Sa’s Nam Yet (Tizard Reef) on Vietnamese territory.

Regarding China’s plan to deploy fishing vessels to Vanh Khan (Mischief Reef), part of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago, Mr. Binh said Vietnam is aware of the plan and is closely monitoring the situation.

He affirmed that Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over the two archipelagoes.

For the bodies of three Vietnamese citizens on board Malaysian Airlines MH17 flight that crashed in Ukraine in July, the Spokesman said the Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands reported that the Dutch side identified two of the victims, namely Nguyen Ngoc Minh and Dang Minh Chau whose relatives have been informed. The Embassy also urged the Dutch side to continue identifying the third one