Tu Chinh Shoal belongs entirely to Vietnam, China has no rights whatsoever.

In recent days, the Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 has violated Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the southern part of the East Sea. According to the Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is entirely Vietnam's sea area, determined in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which Vietnam and China are both members.

Violation of Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction

According to the provisions of the International Law of the Sea on exclusive economic zones, the geological exploration activities of the Chinese ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone violated almost all provisions of the Convention on the Law of the Sea regulating the rights and obligations of the parties concerned.
If this activity is aimed at exploring oil and gas reserves at the bottom of the exclusive economic zone, which is also Vietnam's continental shelf, it has violated Vietnam's sovereignty there.

If geological exploration activities are for scientific research purposes, whether for peaceful purposes or not, they have violated Vietnam's jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone.

In addition, it also affects peace and stability in this maritime area; affects the freedom of movement and economic exploitation of Vietnam as well as other countries (under Vietnam's permission) here.

China has no legal maritime zone overlapping Vietnam's Vanguard Bank.

The DK1 platform area, including Tu Chinh Bank, is located within the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone from Vietnam's baseline, and is Vietnam's southern continental shelf.

This is a sea area planned according to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

This sea area is not disputed with any country, and even less with China.

China's drawing of the nine-dash line licking 60% of Vietnam's sea area, turning Vietnam's undisputed sea area into a disputed area, is completely illegal and not recognized by international law.

The ruling of the International Court of Arbitration in the Philippines' case against China, an international legal document guiding and interpreting the 1982 Convention, has outright rejected China's nine-dash line claim.

Although China did not participate in the lawsuit and declared that it did not accept the Judgment, this legal document still holds its value. And the Judgment affirms that the nine-dash line has no legal basis, in other words, it has no value for China to claim the right to exploit resources within the nine-dash line. Therefore, China has no legal maritime area to dispute with Vietnam in the DK1 area, including Tu Chinh Shoal.

The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources, in excess of those provided for in the Convention, within the sea areas falling within the “nine-dash line”.

What is behind the tensions in the East Sea?

The illegal activities of Chinese ships in Vietnam's Tu Chinh Shoal area are primarily aimed at preventing Vietnam's oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in this area rich in oil and gas potential.

VChina's threats and prevention of Vietnam and foreign partners from exploring and exploiting oil and gas in this area are unreasonable and perverse.

This action is part of China's strategy to impose the illegal nine-dash line in the East Sea to prevent all international partners who want to cooperate with Vietnam in oil and gas.

These steps are part of China's long-term strategy to monopolize the East Sea and completely control resources within the nine-dash line, which accounts for 80% of the East Sea's area.

Vietnam persistently and resolutely protects its sovereignty and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.

On July 19, Vietnam called on China to withdraw all ships from Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said: "Vietnam has contacted China many times through different channels, handed over diplomatic notes of protest, and resolutely requested that all violations be immediately stopped, all ships be withdrawn from Vietnam's waters, and Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction be respected for the sake of bilateral relations and regional stability and peace. Vietnam's maritime authorities continue to deploy many appropriate measures to peacefully and lawfully exercise sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction to protect Vietnam's waters."

This is the second time Vietnam has spoken out on this issue. Previously, on July 16, the spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Vietnam has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the maritime areas in the East Sea as determined in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which Vietnam and the countries in the East Sea are members. Therefore, all foreign activities in Vietnam's maritime areas must comply with relevant provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and Vietnamese law.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized Vietnam's consistent policy of resolutely and persistently fighting by peaceful means in accordance with international law.

In fact, over the past time, Vietnam has synchronously deployed peaceful measures to resolve the problem, fought to demand respect for Vietnam's waters, its legitimate rights and interests in its waters, and not taken actions that complicate the situation.

Vietnam's maritime authorities have been exercising sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction peacefully and in accordance with the law to protect Vietnam's waters.

Promoting the spirit of courage, ingenuity and creativity, Vietnam's law enforcement forces will certainly successfully protect their sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the southern sea of ​​the Fatherland.

The Vietnamese people and public opinion in the region and the world oppose China's illegal actions in Vietnam's waters and support Vietnamese law enforcement forces in fulfilling their noble and sacred mission, contributing to protecting peace, security and stability in the region and the world./.