Vietnam's stance in resolving disputes in the East Sea

(Baonghean.vn) -Question 27. What is Vietnam's stance and policy in resolving disputes in the East Sea?

Reply:The consistent stance of our Party and State is that Vietnam has sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos; has sovereign rights and jurisdiction within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf according to the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Soldiers on Truong Sa island hold their guns firmly to protect the sacred islands of the Fatherland. Photo: VNE

Our policy is to firmly protect our sovereignty and interests in the East Sea; maintain a favorable environment for national development, resolve disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means on the basis of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea" (DOC); for maritime disputes related to Vietnam and China (such as the Hoang Sa issue or the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin), the two sides will resolve them through friendly negotiations and consultations. If the dispute involves other countries (such as the Truong Sa issue involving Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan), then we will negotiate with other disputing parties. In the process of finding fundamental and long-term solutions to maritime issues, we will actively discuss transitional and temporary solutions that do not affect the positions and policies of the parties, including the issue of cooperation for mutual development.

According to Q&A on Vietnam's Law of the Sea

(To be continued)