Since late 2019, there were more than 30 diplomatic notes, letters and statements from 13 countries inside and outside the East Sea region referring to positions and views on a number of legal issues in the East Sea.

The Vietnam Film Authority has announced to pull Tom Holland's Uncharted from cinemas over a scene featuring a map that shows China's unilaterally declared ‘nine-dash line’ in the East Sea.

Vietnam resolutely opposes and demands Taiwan to cancel its live-fire exercises in the waters around Ba Binh island belonging to Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and not to repeat similar actions in the future.

Vietnam requests China to respect and not violate Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and not take actions to complicate the situation.

It is forecast that in 2022, about 10-12 storms and tropical depressions may appear in the East Sea, of which 4-6 storms will directly affect Vietnam’s mainland.

American expert on international relations Joseph Nye said that the power of a country, besides "hard power" including military force, population, geography, and strategic resources, also includes "soft power".

Floating on the sea, with no wifi and no telecommunication waves, people on journeys to Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and DK1 Rigs can find common ground with Vietnamese citizens.

Hieu Constant, a writer in France, says overseas Vietnamese people are willing to become “swallows” to bring information to people who don’t have an opportunity to visit Truong Sa.

The information from a Chinese military magazine confirming Vietnam is building a maritime militia is untrue, and Vietnam completely denies it.

Vietnam always opposes and does not accept all claims in the East Sea that are inconsistent with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said on January 14.

China has stepped up the legal war by internalizing the law and increasing the presence of its maritime law enforcement forces and maritime militia to strengthen its claims in the East Sea and reject the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling 2016.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)'s ruling has been an irrevocable part of history. It will act as a “guide” for countries involved in the struggle for an order based on rules and not on “force creating justice.”

A ceremony was held at Platform DK1/9 of Naval Region 2 on January 10 to pay tribute to soldiers who laid down their lives on Vietnam’s southern continental shelf.

The year 2021 was a turning point year in competition in the East Sea, between the countries inside and outside the region and China.