Defend the sovereignty

Vietnam resolutely opposes China’s Taiwan conducting a number of live-fire exercises in the waters area around Ba Binh island, which belongs to Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago.

On May 22, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius officially handed over six 45-foot Metal Shark patrol boats to the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) in Quang Nam, Region II, marking another important step in the expanding security cooperation between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The process of Code of Conduct (COC) in South China Sea was mentioned at the 14th Senior Officials’ Meeting of ASEAN – China on the implementation of the Declaration on Conduct of the Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea.

Reporter of Hanoitimes had an interview with Carl Thayer (CT) - Professor at The University of New South Wales about the future of Code of Conduct (COC) on South China Sea.

Pacific Partnership 2017 (PP 2017) and Vietnamese border guard, government, and non-government agencies (NGOs) linked up for the first ever combined search and rescue (SAR) and oil spill response field training exercise (FTX) in Da Nang May 13.

Pacific Partnership 2017 (PP17) began a mission in Da Nang, Vietnam, on May 8th.

Vietnam announced its protest against a ban on fishing in the East Sea recently issued unilaterally by China.

A flag-raising ceremony was held at the Hien Luong – Ben Hai historic site in Vinh Linh district, the central province of Quang Tri on April 30 to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975) and the 45th anniversary of the liberation of Quang Tri (May 1, 1972).

The visit aims to enhance the Vietnam and Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

On the way to mark 50th anniversary of ASEAN on August 8, Japan Ministry of Foreign Affair released a video about Japan - ASEAN relationship.

The Mistral-class amphibious assault ship and Courbet frigate arrived in HCMC on April 15, commencing a week-long friendship visit held as part of the Vietnam-France defense cooperation plan for 2017.

During official visit to the U.S, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh held separate meetings on April 21 with US Acting Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn.

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh begins his two-day visit (20th -21st April) to the U.S. on Thursday

On April 12, the Royal Navy ship of New Zealand named HMNZS KAHA (F77) and 178 members led by Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Lenik arrived at Tien Sa port, Da Nang.

Vietnam is verifying information that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered troops to occupy uninhabited islands and shoals that the Philippines claims in the East Sea, the Vietnamese reference for the flashpoint South China Sea.

On March 30, Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh stated that Vietnam resolutely protests against Taiwan (China)’s live-fire drill in waters around Ba Binh in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and demands that Taiwan not to repeat such activity.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh has urged China to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and international law in response to reporters’ question relating to recent actions by China in Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago.

On March 10, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh said that Vietnam is very concerned about the launch of ballistic missiles by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on March 6.

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and his Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin co-chaired the annual Vietnam-China deputy foreign ministers’ meeting in Nha Trang city in the central province of Khanh Hoa from March 5-8.

As many as 230 million VND was mobilised at the launching ceremony of the programme titled "Vegetable Gardens in the Truong Sa islands" held in Hanoi on March 2, according to the organising board.