The US Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine USS Connecticut (Photo: US Navy)
 

Le Thi Thu Hang, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the statement during a regular press briefing held on October 21 in Hanoi.

This comes following the nation learning about information about a United States nuclear submarine USS Connecticut hitting an unknown object and subsequently being damaged while operating in the East Sea in early October.

These statements come in response to a question regarding China's CGTN channel releasing a video on October 19 of JH-7 aircraft of the naval aviation unit of the Southern Theater Command's recent live-fire drills in the East Sea without specifying a specific location and time, Hang affirmed that, "Vietnam has consistently advocated that the East Sea be an area of peace, stability, cooperation and development on the basis of international law.”

Regarding the fact that the US Senate Committee for Foreign Relations passed bill S.1657 to sanction Chinese individuals and organisations involved in territorial disputes activities caused by the northern neighbour in the East and South China Seas, Hang said, "Vietnam's consistent stance is that countries need to abide by international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, and respect the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of coastal states.”

Source: VOV