The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang made the statement at a regular press conference in Hanoi on October 3 whileanswering reporters’ queries about the return of Haiyang Dizhi 8 toVietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and itscountermeasures.

She cited information from Vietnamese competent agencies as saying that thevessel group has continued to expand its operations in Vietnam’s exclusiveeconomic zone and continental shelf, seriously violating Vietnam’s sovereignright and jurisdiction as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS) of which both Vietnam and China are members.

Vietnam resolutely opposes the action and has made contact with the Chineseside, Hang said.

“Vietnam determinedly protects its sovereignty and legal interests in the EastSea through measures in line with international law,” she affirmed.

Regarding the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Geng Shuang’s statementon September 18, Hang said Vietnam’s stance on this issue was clearly stated bythe Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman.

The area that China calls “Wan’an” is actually a shoal belonging to Vietnam’sexclusive economic zone and continental shelf defined in accordance with the1982 UNCLOS, Hang said.

This is completely not a disputed nor overlapped area because China has nolegal international grounds to make a claim on the area, she said, noting thatthe 1982 UNCLOS and trials have affirmed the fact./.VNA