ASIAN POLITICS: HANOI – Vietnam asks China to withdraw missiles from South China Sea
HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam has requested China to withdraw its military equipment from South China Sea
outposts, saying their deployment seriously violates Hanoi’s sovereignty, increases tension, and destabilizes the regional situation.
The comments came after CNBC reported last week that China had installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three outposts in the contested Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam among others.
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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement that Vietnam has sufficient legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Spratlys and the Paracels in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Friday that “peaceful constructions and deployed defensive facilities” were aimed to “meet the need of safeguarding national sovereignty and security, which is also the right of a sovereign state.” /kga Associated Press / 12:06 PM May 09, 2018
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Việt Nam asks China to maintain peace in East Sea
Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo
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HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam asks China, as a large nation in the region and the world, to perform its responsibilities in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lê Thị Thu Hằng yesterday.
Hằng spoke in reply to reporters’ questions about news in foreign media that China has placed missiles at structures it illegally constructed on Việt Nam’s Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
“Việt Nam is deeply concerned about the information,” said Hằng, affirming that “all militarised activities, including the installation of missiles on the Trường Sa archipelago, seriously violate the country’s sovereignty over the islands, violate the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Việt Nam and China and infringe on the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China”. “The actions cause tension and instability in the region and harm efforts to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea,” she added.
“Việt Nam has sufficient legal foundations and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa archipelagos in line with international law,” she stressed.
“Việt Nam asks China not to conduct military activities and withdraw all military equipment that it has illegally deployed in areas where Việt Nam claims sovereignty,” Hằng underscored.
She also requested China respect Việt Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa archipelagos, and strictly abide by the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Việt Nam and China as well as the DOC. — VNS / Update: May, 08/2018 – 22:25
