Vietnam has affirmed that the submission of diplomatic notes to the United Nations aims to defend its sovereignty in the South China Sea.

On March 30, 2020, Vietnam circulated a diplomatic note (22/HC-2020) to the UN in response to China’s note CML/11/2020 submitted to the multilateral organization on March 23, 2020.

Deputy Spokesperson of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ngo Toan Thang at a press conference on April 23. Photo: MOFA

“Vietnam’s circulation of notes to the United Nations is a completely normal action to demonstrate our position and protect our legal rights and interests,” Deputy Spokesperson of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ngo Toan Thang said at a press conference on April 23.

Thang said Vietnam’s stance on the South China Sea issues have been stated in many documents submitted to the UN and relevant international agencies.

He noted that Vietnam's move at the UN was in response to China’s circulation of certain notes stating territorial claims in Paracel and Spratly Islands which he said are unreasonable, contradict international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

“All maritime territorial claims that contradict the provisions of the UNCLOS and infringe upon Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdictions over its waters are null and void,” he affirmed.

He informed that Vietnam had engaged with China to strongly affirm the country's consistent position and reject China’s unreasonable claims.