Related parties in the South China Sea must comply with international law, especially the United Nations Convention of the Law on the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has stated as China stirred tensions in disputed waters.

Spokesperson of the Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. Photo: MOFA

The compliance with international law shows the commitment to advancement of the friendship among countries for peace, stability, and cooperation in the South China Sea, region and the world, the MOFA's Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

Vietnam sincerely wishes that the nations’ legitimate rights are in line with UNCLOS, Hang said on April 21 in response to reporters' question on recent developments in waters of several ASEAN countries in the South China Sea, which is known as the East Sea in Vietnam.

Local media reported that Vietnam has made significant moves. On April 10, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations submitted two diplomatic notes namely 24/HC-2020 and 25/HC-2020 to the United Nations’ Secretary-General António Guterres to show Hanoi’s stance on its sovereignty on the South China Sea and affirm Vietnam’s obvious rights in the sea.

On March 30, Vietnam submitted diplomatic note 22/HC-2020 to protest China for rejecting the diplomatic notes by both Malaysia and the Philippines.

China’s survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 entered waters near Malaysia on April 16 and was close to an exploration vessel operated by Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas in disputed waters in the South China Sea, according to Reuters.

Haiyang Dizhi 8 intruded Vietnamese waters during three months last year, causing a stand-off between Vietnam and China.