The diplomatic sector has been adhering to the principle of “From a steady stance, respond to ten thousand changes”, said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in a recent interview with the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) on the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic sector.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh

Minh said that over the last 70 years, the sector has helped Vietnam maintain peace, expand relations with other countries, and integrate into the world: “Concerning the East Sea, Vietnam has sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagoes and sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its 120 nautical mile exclusive economic zone in line with international law.

The East Sea is an issue of international concern as half of the goods in the world is transported through this route and is related to navigation safety and security. Vietnam claims sovereignty over Truong Sa and some other countries also claim sovereignty over some islands there. 

If Vietnam has problems with one country, its policy is to resolve them bilaterally, and with many other countries multilaterally. But our policy is to settle disputes in line with international law. Our unchanged stance is peace and stability and that our sovereignty is ensured. We should work out ways to promote cooperation without affecting our sovereignty while preventing conflicts at sea. Vietnam protests unilateral actions to change the status quo in the East Sea.”

The Deputy PM said the nation's contributions to addressing global issues have been acknowledged by the international community.

VOV