Vietnam urges countries to respect its sovereignty over Hoang Sa

The foreign ministry's spokesperson Pham Thu Hang made the statement at the ministry’s regular press briefing in Hanoi, in response to questions about recent remarks by China and the Netherlands regarding the operations of the Dutch vessel De Ruyter in waters around Hoang Sa.

“Vietnam has sufficient historical evidence and legal basis to assert its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago in line with international law,” Hang said.

“Vietnam requests that relevant parties respect this reality."

As a member state of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and a coastal state in the East Vietnam Sea, Vietnam consistently respects the freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the maritime area in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS, the spokeswoman stated.

On May 27, China’s military said it had driven away the Dutch vessel De Ruyter from waters near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago.

The Netherlands said the vessel was transiting the East Vietnam Sea and operating in compliance with international law.