Aerial view of the Itu Aba Island, a part of Vietnam’s Spratly Islands. Photograph by AFP
The Ministry of International Affairs has condemned Taiwan holding navy drills off Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) as a violation of its sovereignty.
“Organizing live-fire drills by Taiwan within the sea space surrounding the Itu Aba, a part of Vietnam’s Spratly Islands, is a severe violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the islands, threatening peace, stability, security and maritime safety, inflicting pressure and complicating the state of affairs within the East Sea,” International Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Dangle mentioned Friday.
The East Sea is thought internationally because the South China Sea.
“Vietnam resolutely opposes and requests that Taiwan ends its unlawful actions and never repeat them sooner or later,” Dangle mentioned.
Vietnam has full authorized foundation and historic proof underneath worldwide regulation to say its sovereignty over each the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Spratly archipelagoes, she added.
The Itu Aba, the biggest naturally occurring island within the Spratly archipelago, is illegally occupied by Taiwan. Since 2000, Taiwan has changed the garrison with a marine police unit, geared up with weapons akin to machine weapons and long-range mortars.
