Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam on the submission of the extended continental shelf boundary in the central area of ​​the East Sea

The full statement reads as follows:

1. As a continental country bordering the East Sea and a member state of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), based on relevant provisions of UNCLOS and in accordance with its natural geographical conditions, Vietnam has full legal and scientific basis to affirm that Vietnam has the right to a natural continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline used to calculate the breadth of Vietnam's territorial waters.

In 2009, Vietnam completed two national submissions: the submission on the Extended Continental Shelf Boundaries in the North East Sea (VNM‑N) and the submission on the Extended Continental Shelf Boundaries in the Central East Sea (VNM‑C); and cooperated with Malaysia to develop a joint submission on the Extended Continental Shelf Boundaries for the South East Sea.

In May 2009, Vietnam submitted a Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the North of the East Sea and, together with Malaysia, submitted a Joint Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the South of the East Sea. In the Note Verbale sent to the CLCS at that time, Vietnam affirmed that it would submit a Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the central part of the East Sea at a later time (stated in Note Verbale No. CLCS.37.2009.LOS dated May 11, 2009 of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to all member states of the United Nations).

2. After a number of relevant coastal states in the East Sea have submitted their own Submissions since 2019, Vietnam's submission of the Submission on the Extended Continental Shelf in the Middle East Sea area aims to ensure Vietnam's legitimate rights over its extended continental shelf in the Middle East Sea area that Vietnam is fully entitled to in accordance with Article 76 of UNCLOS. Vietnam affirms that Vietnam's submission in the Middle East Sea area does not affect the maritime delimitation between Vietnam and relevant coastal states in the East Sea on the basis of UNCLOS.

3. On this occasion, Vietnam reaffirms its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in accordance with international law and Vietnam's rights over its maritime zones in the East Sea established in accordance with UNCLOS. At the same time, Vietnam pledges to be ready to resolve and control disputes and disagreements over territorial sovereignty related to the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and disputes over maritime delimitation between Vietnam and relevant coastal states in the East Sea by peaceful means, and together with countries in the region and the international community, maintain peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation and sustainable development in the East Sea on the basis of international law, including UNCLOS./.