Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Dangle. Photograph courtesy of the ministry
Vietnam has urged China to respect its unique financial zone (EEZ) and continental shelf after Beijing introduced drills within the East Sea.
The Hainan Maritime Security Administration introduced March 4 the institution of a no-go zone for army drills within the East Sea (recognized internationally because the South China Sea), the southwest of Hainan Island, saying the drills would begin from the identical day and final till March 15.
“A part of the above-mentioned maritime space belongs to Vietnam’s unique financial zone and continental shelf as decided underneath the 1982 United Nations Conference on the Regulation of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“We ask China to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and never take actions to complicate the state of affairs, thereby contributing to sustaining peace, safety and stability within the East Sea space,” Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Dangle stated Monday.
Dangle stated that Vietnam all the time carefully follows developments within the East Sea and workouts its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with worldwide legislation, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.
China has held a number of drills within the East Sea not too long ago, stoking regional tensions.
In mid-February, the Chinese language navy despatched a Sort 903 replenishment ship and a hospital ship to conduct search and rescue drills, maritime logistics and dwell ammunition firing within the East Sea, however didn’t disclose the particular location.
Tensions within the East Sea space have continued to rise within the context of China’s naval growth and the institution of army outposts on illegally constructed synthetic islands.
In the meantime, the U.S. and different Western nations resembling Britain, France and Germany are rising their army presence within the area.
The U.S. has additionally performed many Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) within the South China Sea to problem China’s unlawful sovereignty claims.
The notorious “nine-dash line” declare that China has unilaterally and illegally made, overlaying virtually your complete East Sea space, has been clearly rejected by the worldwide group. China has additionally illegally constructed seven rocks on Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and turned them into synthetic islands and militarized outposts.
