Welcome the contributions of all countries in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea

(Baonghean.vn) - Morning of June 3,in Cua Lo Town,Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and Department of Natural Resources and Environment organized a seminar on sea and island sovereignty in response to World Oceans Day and Vietnam Sea and Island Week 2016.

Attending the seminar were Mr. Bui Sy Hoa - Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Information; Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Secretary of Cua Lo Town Party Committee; representatives of relevant departments, branches and sectors and students in Cua Lo Town. Dr. Tran Cong Truc - former Head of the Government Border Committee presented the content of the seminar.

Overview of the seminar.

The seminar provided a lot of basic knowledge and understanding about the history of disputes in the East Sea between Vietnam and China; methods of resolving disputes based on the political stance of Vietnam and the international community. At the same time, it strengthened the stance, patriotism and determination to protect the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The East Sea has a very important position in terms of geopolitics, geo-economics, geo-strategy in the region and internationally. It is from this strategic position that the East Sea has been and is having disputes related to different areas in the social relations of the regional and international community.

Currently, there are two main types of disputes in the East Sea: sovereignty disputes over the two archipelagos of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and disputes over the boundaries of maritime zones and continental shelves because the countries bordering the East Sea, when applying the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to determine the scope of their maritime zones and continental shelves, have created overlapping areas.

Comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke atpanel discussion

With legal and historical evidence, the discussion clearly pointed out the nature of China’s maritime sovereignty disputes with Vietnam. Accordingly, it affirmed that China has been seeking to cite its so-called “historical sovereignty” over the two archipelagos of Truong Sa and Hoang Sa of Vietnam.

PhDTran Cong Truc - former Head of the Government Border Committee presented the content on sea and island protection at the seminar.

The seminar also informed the audience about Vietnam’s viewpoint and stance on the issue of maritime disputes. Up to now, besides China, some Southeast Asian countries have also had disputes over Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty.

However, regardless of which country expresses its dispute, Vietnam always maintains its stance in resolving disputes in the East Sea. That is to resolve them through peaceful means in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect, in compliance with international law, especially the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Ensuring peace, stability, security and maritime safety is a concern of countries in and outside the region. Vietnam welcomes the efforts and contributions of all countries to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

In that spirit, to protect maritime security and safety and maintain peace and stability in the East Sea region. Regarding China’s proposal to “shelve disputes and jointly exploit”, Vietnam does not object. However, Vietnam does not accept China’s unreasonable “cow tongue line” as a claim line to create an overlapping area with Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Therefore, it is impossible to “jointly develop” in the area created by the “cow tongue line” that encroaches deeply into Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Hoai Thu