Vietnam consistently exercises, safeguards sovereignty by peaceful measures
Thứ ba - 30/07/2019 07:302720
The Tu Chinh reef(internationally known as Vanguard Bank) is located in Vietnam’s200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and completely belongs to thecountry, defined in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).
Illustrative image - Photo: VNA
According to the 1982 UNCLOS’s Article 56, in their exclusiveeconomic zones, the littoral states are subject to enjoy sovereign rights overnatural resources, whether living or non-living, and other activities likeenergy production from water, currents and winds.
Therefore, all activities of foreign countries in Vietnam’swaters must be conducted in line with relevant regulations of the 1982 UNCLOSand Vietnamese law. Those which are not allowed by Vietnam are all violationsof the country’s waters and international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.
Pursuant to international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, nocountries have the right to authoritatively ask Vietnam to stop exploringoil and gas fields in the waters belonging to her.
Any deliberate accusation that Vietnam is “unilaterally”conducting oil and gas exploration in the country’s exclusive economic zone iscompletely unreasonable. Is the statement aimed at turning the waters thatcompletely belong to Vietnam into a disputed area so as to impose thebehavior of “power belongs to powers” and monopolise the East Sea?
The Tu Chinh reef is located near the internationalnavigation route and plays an important role in Vietnam’s economic building anddevelopment, as well as the country’s maritime sovereignty management andprotection.
Vietnam’s territorial land and waters would be in the normaland stable condition if there are no violations that ignore international lawand complicate the situation.
As a country that experienced years of wars, Vietnam alwaysattaches importance to peace, friendship and cooperation, and is ready toaddress with good will the issues arising in international relations bypolitical means.
It is Vietnam’s consistent policy to resolutely andpersistently use peaceful measures in accordance with international law and the1982 UNCLOS to struggle against any violation of the country’s sovereignty,sovereign right and jurisdiction in its waters as prescribed in the 1982UNCLOS.
On that basis, Vietnam has been concertedly implementingpeaceful measures in order to protect its legitimate rights andinterests.
Given China’s geological survey vessel group Haiyang Dizhi8 violating Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in thesouth of the East Sea, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson saidVietnam has contacted the Chinese side for many times via different channels,handed over protest diplomatic notes and demanded China to immediately withdrawall of its vessels from Vietnam’s waters and to respect Vietnam’s sovereignright and jurisdiction, for the sake of the relations between the two countriesand for regional stability and peace.
At the same time, the official also highlighted thatVietnam’s competent maritime forces have continuously taken many suitablemeasures to exercise the country’s sovereignty, sovereign right andjurisdiction peacefully and legally in an effort to safeguard national waters.
Maintaining regional peace and order, and ensuring maritimesecurity and safety in the East Sea, including the Tu Chinh reef, on the basisof international law would bring about common interests to countries in theregion and the international community.
Therefore, Vietnam has been making efforts to fulfill therole of a responsible nation in the international community, and hopes thatother countries will seriously implement international law, including the 1982UNCLOS, in order to build a region of peaceful and stability, contributing topromoting peace and development in the world.
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