Historical and legal evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos has been affirmed by many countries, the international community, and many domestic and foreign scientists: The Vietnamese State is the first state in history to have occupied and exercised its sovereignty over these two archipelagos, at least since the 17th century. Vietnam’s occupation and exercise of sovereignty over these two archipelagos is clear, continuous, peaceful, and in accordance with the current principle of territorial acquisition – the principle of true occupation of international law.
From the 17th century to the end of the 19th century, despite going through 3 different feudal dynasties, each dynasty carried out its sacred mission as the Dai Viet State, carrying out the occupation and enforcement of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, including the Hoang Sa Team - an organization established by the State to manage, protect and exploit the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. Later, the Bac Hai Team was established, under the management and operation of the Hoang Sa Team.
During the French colonial invasion and establishment of rule, as the representative of the Vietnamese State in foreign affairs according to the Patenote Treaty (1884), the French colonial government protected and managed the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in accordance with contemporary legal procedures.
During the period 1954 - 1975, when Vietnam was temporarily divided into North and South, the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos were located below the 17th parallel and were under the management of the Republic of Vietnam government, which, as a legal entity in international relations, continued to protect and manage these two archipelagos.
Regarding the Truong Sa archipelago, on October 12, 1956, the government of the Republic of Vietnam issued a Decree renaming the southern provinces and placing the Truong Sa archipelago under Phuoc Tuy province.
On September 6, 1973, the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Vietnam signed Decree No. 40-BNV-HCDP merging the Truong Sa archipelago into Phuoc Hai commune, Dat Do district, Phuoc Tuy province.
In April 1975, the People's Liberation Army of Vietnam under the leadership of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam took over the islands occupied by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, deployed forces to occupy the islands and several other locations in the Spratly Islands.
On April 30, 1975, the South was liberated and the country was reunified. After 1975, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continued to manage and protect Vietnam's sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos through many activities, both ensuring full and correct procedures in terms of legal struggle and ensuring the consolidation and maintenance of the presence of the military and civilians on the geographical entities currently under the management of the Vietnamese State.
On April 25, 1976, in the special issue on the General Election, the newspaper “Saigon Sunday” printed a map of unified Vietnam with two geographical entities: Hoang Sa archipelago and Truong Sa archipelago. And more than 4 months later, the map of unified Vietnam with Hoang Sa archipelago and Truong Sa archipelago appeared in the special issue of the newspaper “Nhan Dan”, published on September 2, 1976, commemorating the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
On February 15, 1977, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam issued a "Declaration on the territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam".
After China's attack on the northern border provinces from February 17, 1979, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately sent a diplomatic note to the United Nations requesting China to immediately stop its war of aggression. The memorandum of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam dated March 15, 1979 clearly stated: "The Hoang Sa archipelago (which China calls the Xisha) is about 120km east of Da Nang. Vietnam has sufficient documents to prove that this archipelago, as well as the Truong Sa archipelago (which China calls the Nansha) to the south, is Vietnamese territory."
On August 7, 1979, the statement of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: “The feudal states of Vietnam were the first in history to possess, organize, control and exploit these archipelagos as a State. These actions are truly clear and in accordance with international law and practice. We have full historical and legal grounds for Vietnam's indisputable sovereignty over these two archipelagos.” At the same time, the statement clearly pointed out that China's illegal use of armed forces to invade the Hoang Sa archipelago in 1974 “violated Vietnam's territorial integrity and trampled on the principle of the United Nations Charter to resolve all disputes through peaceful negotiations.”
In September 1979, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam published the White Paper “Vietnam’s Sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagos”, stating that “Vietnam has long been the master of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, when those archipelagos were not under the sovereignty of any country. Since then, Vietnam has continuously exercised its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos”.
In January 1982, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continued to publish the White Book “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagos – Vietnamese Territory” compiled on the basis of inheriting the 1979 White Book and supplementing new research. In addition to reviewing documents proving Vietnam’s sovereignty, the book used China’s own documents to refute China’s unreasonable arguments, demands and actions aimed at denying Vietnam’s sovereignty over these two archipelagos. This is both a diplomatic document and a research work of scientific value in terms of history and law.
On December 9, 1982, according to Decision 194-HDBT, Vietnam established Hoang Sa district under Quang Nam - Da Nang province (now Da Nang city) and Truong Sa district under Phu Khanh province (now Khanh Hoa province). This was the first time in the history of administrative management of Hoang Sa archipelago that the Vietnamese State established a new management model: Raising Hoang Sa archipelago to district level, as "Hoang Sa district under Quang Nam - Da Nang province".
Thus, two issues can be affirmed:
The first,Vietnam has controlled the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos for a long time when those archipelagos were never under the sovereignty of any country.
Monday,During the period 1975 - 1988, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam continuously fought and refuted China's claims, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.
Exactly 35 years have passed, but when mentioning Gac Ma, we need to understand the knowledge and correct perception of this event in the following points.
The first,Before the Gac Ma incident on March 14, 1988, China had many acts of aggression, intrusion, military provocation, and violation of sovereignty at the Chu Thap and Chau Vien reefs, and several other reefs in the Sinh Ton island area in the Truong Sa archipelago.
It is no coincidence that before deciding to occupy Gac Ma in March 1988, in July 1987, China decided to establish Hainan province (China's 36th province) including both Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos under Vietnam's sovereignty.
It is no coincidence that the above-mentioned tense and dangerous actions of China took place in early 1988, while the trend of dialogue instead of confrontation was developing strongly between the Cambodian parties and the relevant countries in Southeast Asia to resolve the "Cambodia Problem" and the issue of peace and stability in the region.
The illegal occupation of Gac Ma Island once again shows that China always takes advantage of opportunities to realize its ambitions in the East Sea.
Vietnam has issued statements, diplomatic announcements, and editorials affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, demanding that China immediately end all provocative actions.
Monday,History needs to clarify and reaffirm the nature of the event that it was not a “naval battle”. It was a brutal “massacre” by the Chinese navy against a unit of the Vietnamese Navy’s engineering troops who were building an island and establishing sovereignty. After this event, China illegally occupied the island despite the reaction of world public opinion and international law. China wanted to choose Gac Ma as a “fortress” in the middle of the East Sea, the “throat” of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago that they wanted to occupy to gradually “gnaw away” Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago. That was an action within a strategic plot, with long-term calculations and preparations. In fact, what happened after China illegally occupied Gac Ma island has shown that.
Tuesday,After the battle to protect Gac Ma Island on March 14, 1988, 64 Vietnamese Navy officers and soldiers heroically sacrificed their lives, 3 Navy ships HQ-505, HQ-604, HQ-605 were sunk, 9 soldiers were captured. On September 2, 1991, the 9 captured soldiers were returned to Vietnam by China through the Friendship Border Gate in Lang Son. Considering the context, historical conditions, the balance of forces and the nature of this event, it was a heroic sacrifice for the Fatherland!
Wednesday,On March 14, 1988, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a Statement on the Chinese ships firing at Vietnamese transport ships in the waters of the Truong Sa archipelago, stating: “On the morning of March 14, 1988, Chinese warships operating illegally in the waters of the Truong Sa archipelago brazenly fired at two Vietnamese transport ships operating normally at Gac Ma reef in Sinh Ton island area. Our ships were forced to fire in self-defense.” On March 15, 1988, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued to send a diplomatic note protesting China for sending warships to fire at Vietnamese transport ships. The note stated: “Despite the opposition of the Vietnamese people and Government, the deep concerns of world public opinion and countries bordering the East Sea, going against the aspiration for friendly coexistence of the people of Vietnam and China, this action once again proves that the Chinese authorities deliberately use force to expand the scale of conflict in the waters of the Truong Sa archipelago.”
Thursday,Vietnam's stance on behavior has been published in many editorials on many official media agencies of the Vietnamese State. In addition to stating historical and legal grounds and opposing China's violent actions, Vietnam has always shown its goodwill to resolve the Truong Sa issue through peaceful negotiations, and requested China to promptly return captured Vietnamese sailors.
The Gac Ma incident has been over for 35 years, but when mentioned today, it is still relevant. The heroic sacrifice of 64 soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy on March 14, 1988 in the fight to protect sovereignty in Gac Ma, Co Lin, Len Dao in the Truong Sa archipelago is an immortal epic and they have created an "Immortal Circle" in the middle of the ocean.
The first,Stringing together many events related to China's behavior towards Vietnam in the Hoang Sa archipelago in 1956, 1974 and Gac Ma island of Truong Sa in 1988, affirms a fact: China's use of force to occupy Gac Ma is not simply to possess this island. It is an action within China's strategic plot to monopolize the East Sea, gradually concretizing the absurd "Cow Tongue Line" that they proactively drew. It is a dangerous calculation that not only threatens Vietnam's territorial sovereignty but also causes instability in the region and threatens world peace. The lessons of some countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia regarding sovereignty over seas and islands with China are always vivid witnesses that leave clear historical lessons for Vietnam.
Monday,Only economic stability is the prerequisite factor to ensure the sustainability and confidence in national security and defense in protecting territorial sovereignty. In a narrow scope, throughout human history, the truth has always belonged to the strong. In terms of the history of international relations over the past centuries, the great powers have always dominated international relations and world order. On the contrary, small and weak countries are often economically dependent and at a disadvantage when resolving contradictions, disputes, and military conflicts. Therefore, I believe that in order to firmly protect national sovereignty, in addition to the foreign policies and guidelines of the State and people, we must gradually become economically independent and self-reliant, or at least minimize dependence on foreign investment capital, technology, and markets.
Tuesday,From the Gac Ma incident 35 years ago, there is another opportunity to affirm the correctness, creativity, independence and autonomy of the Party and State's foreign policy in the trend of integration and globalization, in the context of a world that is always changing in a complex and unpredictable way.
Despite many difficulties and challenges, Vietnam has always been determined, persistent, and continuously struggled to affirm its sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).
In a multidimensional, multipolar world with many intertwined and intertwined interests, a proposition that is always true and recognized by all countries from the selection of history is: There are no permanent enemies and permanent friends, only permanent national interests. The core thing that we need to clearly perceive and understand between the connotations of the pairs of categories of friend and enemy, partner and opponent, struggle and cooperation and must always put national sovereignty and national interests above all and first.
The 13th National Congress Document of the Communist Party of Vietnam clearly stated consistent viewpoints, including important and regular tasks such as: Maintaining a peaceful environment and political stability; resolutely and persistently protecting the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, airspace and sea of the Fatherland; improving the law enforcement capacity of forces on duty at the border, sea and islands; proactively preparing in all aspects, ready with plans to firmly protect independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and maintain national security./.