Vietnam firmly rejects China's fishing ban in the East Sea

On May 4, in response to a reporter's question about China's imposition of a fishing ban from May 1 to August 16, 2019 in the East Sea, including some of Vietnam's waters, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang affirmed:

“Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, as well as its legitimate rights over Vietnam's maritime zones determined in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnam believes that measures to conserve living resources must be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and must not prejudice the sovereign rights and maritime jurisdiction of relevant countries.

Vietnam opposes and resolutely rejects this unilateral decision of China. This regulation violates Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, violates Vietnam's legal rights and interests in its maritime zones, violates international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, goes against the spirit and text of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea between ASEAN and China (DOC), and is contrary to the Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of maritime issues between Vietnam and China"./.

PV