Vietnam rejects China's document sent to the United Nations.

Yesterday, Vietnam released official documents refuting, both factual and legal, all of China's claims to sovereignty over the Paracel Islands that Beijing had previously submitted to the United Nations.

A Chinese coast guard vessel rammed a Vietnamese law enforcement ship in the waters of the Paracel Islands. Photo: Nguyen Dong

These documents were previously provided by Vietnamese representatives to the United Nations to affirm Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and to assert Vietnam's stance on China's illegal placement of an oil rig on Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

The sovereignty dispute between Vietnam and China over the Paracel Islands has existed for a long time, and the current tensions in the South China Sea stem from China's illegal placement of the Haiyang 981 oil rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

China is escalating tensions in the South China Sea through actions that violate international law. However, China continues to steadfastly refuse Vietnam's request to withdraw the oil rig from the Paracel Islands, as well as to engage in substantive negotiations regarding the legality of China's actions.

Once again, Vietnam urged China to withdraw the oil rig, along with its ships and other equipment, and to refrain from encroaching on Vietnam's waters in the future. Vietnam also requested that China resolve all disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), avoiding prolonged tensions and preventing conflict between the two countries.

Regarding the Paracel Islands, Vietnam reiterated its main points. These are: historical documents are inconsistent with China's claim of sovereignty over the Paracel Islands; international conferences did not cede the Paracel Islands to China; China violated the principle prohibiting the threat and use of force, thus making it impossible to establish sovereignty over the Paracel Islands; and Vietnam has never recognized China's sovereignty over these islands.

Vietnam has sent four letters to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting the circulation of Vietnamese documents related to China's illegal placement of the Haiyang 981 oil rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands.

On June 10, Vietnam's Ambassador to the UN, Le Hoai Trung, also spoke with UN General Assembly President John Ashe, stating that the Chinese documents circulating within the body have no international legal basis.

According to Vnexpress