Vietnam opposes China’s illegal construction and expansion of structures on Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and has requested China immediately desist these wrongful actions, announced Deputy Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang during a regular press conference of the ministry in Hanoi on March 5.

She emphasised that Vietnam has sufficient legal and historical evidence validating its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa archipelagoes.

That China has illegally built and expanded structures on rocks and changed the status quo in Truong Sa archipelago not only seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty but also defies the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, signed by China and the ASEAN member nations, Hang said.

Responding to a question on China’s increase of its defence budget in 2015, she said Vietnam hopes that as a Permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and an important player in the region, China will responsibly and constructively contribute to maintaining regional and global peace, stability, security, cooperation, and development.

Regarding China’s launch of an English and Japanese language website on Beijing’s sovereignty over a disputed chain of islands on the East China Sea, Hang noted all sides need to solve disagreements through peaceful means and with respect to international law to reach long-term solutions.

VNA