Chinese stamps violate Vietnam’s sovereignty

The Viet Stamp Club strongly objects to the China Post’s issuance of stamps that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty, said the Ho Chi Minh City-based club.

Hoang Anh Thi, chairman of the club, made the statement yesterday, adding that the club has sent a document to the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications to express its objection to the China Post.

On the anniversary of China’s Tourism Day, May 19,   the Chinese organization issued a set of six stamps named “Beautiful China” featuring six tourist attractions.

Of these tourist sites, five are in China, while the other belongs to Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty. This site is a group of seven small islands belonging to the An Vinh group that is a part of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, which is occupied illegally by China.

The island group is shown in the fourth sample of the stamps, which is named “Tam Sa thất liên dữ” (“A group of seven small islands in Sansha).

In addition, China Post also issued a FDC (First Day Cover) and a postcard, both of which show the image of the group of islands.

The Viet Stamp Club proposed that the ministry issue a set of stamps that feature Vietnam’s sea waters and islands 

Such stamps will help promote patriotism among the Vietnamese people and affirm to the world Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea territories and islands.  

As previously reported, China on July 24, 2012 issued a decision to establish the so-called Sansha city, which illegally covers Vietnamese’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes in the East Sea.

Vietnam has strongly opposed the wrongful and illegal decision and has demanded that China rescind it.