Vietnam protests China's military exercises near Paracel Islands

By New Straits Times - July 3, 2020 @ 11:30am

VIETNAM has sent a diplomatic note to protest China's military exercises near the Paracel Islands, saying it violated Vietnam's sovereignty.

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it also complicates negotiations for a Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC) between China and Asean; and has affected peace in the area.

The Maritime Safety Administration of China's Hainan Province had on Monday announced plans to hold military exercises near the Paracel Islands from Wednesday to Sunday.

It said on its website that no vessels are to enter the area in the South China Sea while drills are underway.

In August last year, China conducted similar live fire drills near the Paracel Islands.

Vn Express news portal said the incident comes amid international concern over China's recent actions in the South China Sea.

It said China has been ramping up its aggressive behaviour in the waters since the start of this year as other countries focus on combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

China has also created the "Xisha" and "Nansha" districts on Paracel and Spratly Islands, sunk Vietnamese fishing vessels off the former, unilaterally issued a fishing ban, and sent a ship to tail a Malaysian oil and gas exploration vessel.

Vietnam had on multiple occasions condemned China's actions in the South China Sea.

It also said all surveillance activities in Vietnamese seas require its express permission.

"All surveillance and scientific research activities in Vietnamese sea areas in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) must be allowed by Vietnam as stated by the convention".

Filipino news website Benar News had previously reported that China's survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 4 entered Vietnam's exclusive economic zone from June 14 to 16.

It was detected within 200 nautical miles off Vietnam's coast and roughly 182 nautical miles from Vietnam's Phu Quy Island, the report said.

In April, Reuters also reported that Chinese survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8, used for offshore seismic surveys, had appeared 158 km off Vietnam's coast, within Vietnam's EEZ.