Despite China's unilateral fishing ban on waters around Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands), fishermen in Quang Ngai are heading out to sea to protect their fishing grounds.

Despite unruly actions by China in the East Sea, many Quang Ngai fishing vessels still head out to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelagos to fish on traditional fishing grounds, asserting their sovereignty over the seas.

The Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) released a document on May 4 opposing China’s issuance of regulations banning fishing in the East Sea this year.

The EU is committed to the legal order for the seas and oceans based upon international law, maritime security and cooperation, and the freedom of navigation and overflight, in the interest of all states, EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans said.

Foreign experts have condemned China’s recent actions in the East Sea, saying its moves have escalated tensions in the region and infringed upon international law.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 23 criticised recent actions of China in the East Sea, including its announcement of establishing “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago) and “Nansha district” (Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago).

China’s circulation of a number of diplomatic notes at the United Nations (UN) that raise unreasonable sovereignty claims over Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos as well as maritime claims in the East Sea

China’s announcement of establishing the so-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa -Paracel - archipelago) and “Nansha district” (Vietnam’s Truong Sa - Spratly - archipelago) within the new “Sansha city” will escalate tensions in the region.

The people’s committee of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands district in Danang strongly protested China’s decision to establish the so-called Xisha and Nansha districts to govern over Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands.

Analyst Carl Thayer Carl Thayer , an Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales has called latest China's action in the East Sea "provocative," "illegal" and has no basis under international law.

Vietnam strongly protests the establishment of the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts as they seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, the spokesperson of Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 19.

Vietnam’s submissions of diplomatic notes protesting China’s illegal claims over East Sea is a normal action to express the country’s standpoint and protect its legitimate rights and interests.

Russian researchers studying the East Sea issues have opposed Chinese coast guard ship’s hitting and sinking of Vietnamese fishing vessel QNg 90617 TS in the waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago,

The US on April 6 said it was "seriously concerned" about China's reported sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the East Sea.

Vietnam has lodged an official complaint with China following the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel near the former’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 3.

Vietnam rejects any maritime claims of China that are based on the so-called “nine-dash line” in the East Sea, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

A new book by journalist Nguyen Viet Ton on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago has just been published by Literature Publishing House.

32 years ago, on March 14 1988, 64 Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed in the battle of protecting Gac Ma Island (Johnson South Reef), part of the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

“Despite waves and storms, we the DK rig soldiers are still here. There is no fear among DK rig soldiers who are not afraid of thunderstorms.” 

Vietnam rejects all the contents regarding Vietnam of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s statement on sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on November 8.