Viet Nam resolutely rejects China's unilateral fishing ban in East Sea

Vice Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Doan Khac Viet at a press conference, Ha Noi, April 29, 2021. Photo: VGP

Replying to a question about the report that the Chinese coast guard force declared it will guarantee the enforcement of the fishing ban that will take effect on May 1, 2021, on the sea area covering part of the Gulf of Tonkin and Viet Nam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, the Vice Spokesperson reiterated that Viet Nam has sufficient legal ground and historical evidence testifying to its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, as well as its legal rights towards sea areas identified in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Viet Nam holds that measures to preserve creature resources need to be implemented in conformity with regulations of the 1982 UNCLOS and must not harm the sovereign right and jurisdiction at sea of other related states, according to Doan.

He stressed that Viet Nam objects to and resolutely rejects this unilateral decision by the Chinese side, which has violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa  archipelago; infringed international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS; run counter to the spirit and wording of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and gone against the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Viet Nam and China.

Regarding the information that the Vietnamese maritime militia force operating near Hainan archipelago and Viet Nam’s Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos has threatened the maritime law enforcement and security - defense forces of China, the deputy spokesman noted: “We refutes those incorrect information about the marine self-defense militia force of Viet Nam.”

He highlighted the country’s defense policy of peace, self-defense and basing on the people, citing the 2019 law on militia and self-defense forces which stipulates that the marine self-defense militia force is part of Viet Nam’s self-defense militia force and has the tasks of safeguarding the country’s maritime sovereignty and maintaining security, order, and safety on seas and islands.

The marine self-defense militias and other authorized forces working at sea absolutely comply with Vietnamese laws and international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS, Doan emphasized./. VNA