Defend the sovereignty

A seminar was organised in southwest Gwangju city of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on November 29, focusing the prospect of solving disputes in the East Sea following the PCA ruling on the Philippines’s lawsuit against China’s claims in the waters.

On November 29, Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Le Hai Binh stressed that Vietnam resolutely opposes Taiwan deploying a drill in Ba Binh area belonging to Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago.

Chris Matlhako, a member of the Politburo of the South Africa Communist Party (SACP), said that the East Sea issue should be resolved by peaceful measures on the basis of international law.

On November 22, during four-day visit to Italy at the invitation of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, President Tran Dai Quang and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella have affirmed their determination to deepen the Vietnam-Italy strategic partnership and Italy always supports Vietnam in East Sea peaceful solution.

International experts and scholars at the 8th International Conference on the East Sea, recently held in Nha Trang, have forecast that the situation in the waters will remain stable in the near future although the year 2016 witnessed significant changes to the status quo in the region.

On January 2, Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Le Hai Binh has expressed Vietnam’s resolute protest against China’s pilot flight to an illegally-built airport on Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) reef in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

The staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese expatriates in Malaysia gathered on November 19 to discuss the regional situation, with the focus placed on the East Sea issue.

At the yesterday`s ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM) Retreat in Vientiane, Laos, Vietnam’s Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich has called for stronger cooperation among ASEAN member nations, along with more effective ties with other countries, including China and the US, to address the East Sea issue.

KTĐT - An exhibition affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spartly) archipelagos opened in the northern province of Thai Nguyen on November 16.

International experts and scholars at the eighth International Conference on the East Sea have forecast that the situation in the waters will remain stable in the near future although the year 2016 witnessed significant changes to the status quo in the region.

On November 14, the 8th International Conference on East Sea, themed "Cooperation for Regional Security and Development", officially opened in Nha Trang city, the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

At the meeting in Hanoi on November 9 with Zhang Dejiang, permanent Politburo member and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China (NPC), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the affirmation that Vietnam always attach importance to the friendship with China and hopes to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea.

President Tran Dai Quang and his Irish counterpart Michael D.Higgins have affirmed their wish to deepen the friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation between Vietnam and Ireland in the time ahead. At the mean time, Ireland support Vietnam to handle East Sea disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law.

On November 2, Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Lukas Kaucky presented the proposal at the political consultation at deputy ministerial level with Vietnam held in Hanoi, mentioning that Czech always supports Vietnam in East Sea`s peacekeeping and stability.

At the yesterday`s reception for the Mobile Training Support Team of the UN Integrated Training Service in Hanoi, Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, made the statement that Vietnam is ready to dispatch forces to take part in the UN peacekeeping missions whenever requested.

On October 25, Secretary of the US State John Kerry made the affirmation that the US values its relationship with the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and consider this an increasingly important channel to enhance relations with Vietnam.

As scheduled, from October 23-27, the Indian guests will have a working session with the High Command of Marine Police Zone 2 and participate in drills and sport events with officers and soldiers in the zone.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh said that the concerned actions of the countries should conform with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

If fishermen are well trained, equipped with knowledge about defense and well supported by functional forces, they will become an active militia protecting the sovereignty and national interests of Vietnam on the sea.

On October 20, Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Dinh The Huynh met with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in Beijing as part of his three-day visit to the country. The two sides make effort in maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.