Vietnam said its authorities keep a close eye on all movements in the East Sea [referring to the South China Sea] to protect its sovereignty and jurisdiction rights in Vietnamese waters.

Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: VGP

Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the statement in response to a question on the approach to Vietnam’s waters earlier this month by Chinese Coast Guard ships.

“All countries in the East Sea need to ensure its activities to be in line with international laws and respect sovereignty and jurisdiction rights of littoral countries as stated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to peace, stability, and cooperation in the sea,” Hang said at a press conference on February 25.

International ship-tracking data showed that on February 22, China Coast Guard (CCG) 5304 approached Hai Thach Production & Quarters Platform (PQP-HT) in block 5-02 of Vietnam platform after sailing out from China-occupied Subi Reef at Spratly Islands.

The harassment on February 22 was not the first time. Ship-tracking data show CCG 5304 “disappeared” at Fiery Cross Reef on February 04 after sailing out from Sanya on January 31.

From 2019, China Coast Guard vessels have repeatedly appeared in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), troubling oil operations of joint ventures between Vietnamese companies and foreign partners.

The typical case happened to oil operations partly invested by Russia’s Rosneft in Bai Tu Chinh (Vanguard Bank) within Vietnam’s territorial waters.