Implementing the 1982 Convention in the field of determining our country's maritime zones
(Baonghean) - Baseline declaration: Vietnam declared the baseline used to calculate the width of its territorial waters on November 12, 1982. The baseline system along the Vietnamese mainland coast consists of 10 segments connecting 11 points. Except for point A8 located on Dai Lanh Cape (Phu Yen), the remaining points are all located on islands. This system is not closed, there are still 2 undetermined points located offshore, point 0 in the historical waters of Vietnam and Cambodia and the ending point in the Gulf of Tonkin.
According to the Government's Declaration dated November 12, 1982, the junction point 0 of the two baselines used to calculate the width of the territorial waters of Vietnam and Cambodia lies in the middle of the sea and is determined to be the intersection of the straight line connecting Tho Chu archipelago and Vinh island (Cambodia) and the border line demarcating the maritime zones of the two countries in the common historical waters of Vietnam and Cambodia will be discussed by the two countries at an appropriate time.
The end point of the straight baseline system of Vietnam at the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin will be the intersection of the mouth of the gulf and the maritime delimitation line in the Gulf of Tonkin. With the agreement on the delimitation of territorial waters, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in the Gulf of Tonkin in 2000, the mouth of the gulf has been determined. The end point of the baseline system in the North will have to be the end point of the Vietnam-China land border. The baseline along the mainland coast of Vietnam has an average length of 85 nautical miles, with more than half of the segments being over 100 nautical miles, the angle of deviation from the general trend of the coast is mostly 20o, which can be considered to basically follow the general trend of the coast.
Specifically, the base points (each point corresponds to a specific latitude N and longitude E) are: at point A1, the length of the segments is 99 nautical miles, the distance to the coast is 56 nautical miles; similarly, point A2 is 105.1 and 12 nautical miles respectively; point A3 is 2.97 and 52 nautical miles, point A4 is 1.952 and 53 nautical miles; A5 is 161.4 and 53 nautical miles; point A6 is 162.7 nautical miles and 74 nautical miles; point A7 is 14.83 and 74 nautical miles; point A8 is 60.54 and 0 nautical miles; point A9 is 89.91 and 14 nautical miles; point A10 is 149 and 15 nautical miles; point A11. Thus, there is base point A6 in Hon Hai (Vung Tau sea) which is far from the mainland.
Our country has ratified the 1982 Convention. The Resolution of the National Assembly dated June 23, 1994 also assigned the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the Government to study and make necessary amendments and supplements to relevant provisions of national law to comply with the Convention, ensuring Vietnam's interests. When issuing the 1982 Declaration, Vietnam did not have enough conditions to survey and take into account the unique characteristics of our country's coastline as well as extremely unstable areas, large river mouths, and coastal island systems. Vietnam will review and adjust the coastal straight baselines to comply with the spirit of the 1982 Convention.
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