70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
Home / AMBASSADORS' COMMENTS
China's dark pretension and dangerous activities in the East Sea
Ambassador Tran Duc Mau 08:22, 2020/04/29
Trampling and ignoring international law, China has brazenly announced the establishment of two administrative districts in Vietnam's Paracel and Spratly islands in the East Sea, and formally named 80 geographical features there.

Once again, China proves itself a stubborn and incorrigible troublemaker in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea). It is China's typical tactic to capitalize on the world being distracted by the pandemic to pursue its dark pretension and carry out activities of intentionally violating Vietnam's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the East Sea, posing threats and dangers for peace, security and stability in the region.

 In this photo released by Vietnam's coast guard, a Chinese ship, left, fires a water cannon at a Vietnamese vessel, right, in May 2014. Photo: FT

Trampling and ignoring international law, China brazenly announced the establishment of two administrative districts in Vietnam's Paracel and Spratly islands in the East Sea, and formally named 80 geographical features there.

All those moves of China are Chinese ways and means to step by step legitimize its illegal seizure of territories lawfully belonging to Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea. China is persistently pursuing its tactic of making fait accompli in the East Sea with the aim of continuing its illegal seizure and occupation of others’ territories in the East Sea.

China's such moves are dangerous and should be strongly condemned worldwide not only because they totally trample and ignore international law, but also because of the fact that China carries out such moves in the time the whole world is focusing on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic which broke out in China some months ago. They once again showed that China spares no chance to intensify its territorial expansionism in the East Sea, to change the status quo and cement its wrongdoings there. They once again demonstrate unequivocally that China certainly despises its own commitments to the Declaration on Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and seemingly does not really intend to sign the Code of Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (COC) now still being negotiated between ASEAN and China.

Another goal of China with those dangerous and internationally condemned acts at a time when the whole world is struggling with the pandemic might be to picture itself as the country which is able not only to successfully combat the pandemic but also to act strongly everywhere.

Any activity in the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands must be authorized by Vietnam. Therefore, Hanoi strongly demands Beijing fully respect Vietnam's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from actions which could escalate tensions, further complicate the situation and undermine peace and stability in the East Sea and the region.

Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are of his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Hanoitimes.

RELATED NEWS
TAG: China South China Sea east sea aggression coc
Other news
15:23, 2024/03/23
Another trilateral alliance?
It will be Joe Biden's new feat.
21:21, 2024/03/16
Vladimir Putin's fifth term and Russia's near future
Now, this year's presidential election would give him the possibility to become Russia's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin in the first half of the last century.
07:21, 2024/03/09
State of the Union address as campaigning address
Delivering the annual State of the Union address is always a rare opportunity to reach a very broad audience in the US.
04:19, 2024/03/03
Vladimir Putin's messages of self-confidence
For him, things are shaping up well with Russia's war in Ukraine and with Russia's efforts to resist all sanctions and confrontations of the West
13:38, 2024/03/02
ASEAN is coming to Australia
The relation is a driver of prosperity that binds our region together, making it a global economic powerhouse and political center of gravity.
09:22, 2024/02/29
Dangerous and adventurous
For NATO and some of its members, sending their troops to Ukraine would be a political and military adventure that could destroy this military alliance