Vietnam has affirmed many times and reiterated that the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos are inseparable parts of its territory, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang highlighted Vietnam’s viewpoint that all activities in its Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos without permission of the country are void and not conducive to peace, security and stability in the East Sea, and that Vietnam resolutely protests those.

The Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations on July 29 sent a note verbale to the UN Secretary General, saying China’s claim to the maritime features in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea) has no basis under international law.

China’s maritime claims are not valid under international law, according to the Joint Statement on Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2020 released on July 28.

US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo affirmed on July 13 that the People’s Republic of China (PRC)'s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them.

Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said Vietnam rejects China's unilateral decision on fishing ban in the East Sea from May 1 to August 16.

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.

US Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with three others, namely Bob Menendez, Cory Gardner and Ed Markey, on April 11 criticised the Chinese Coast Guard’s recent sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago waters 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.

A symposium on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) as a tool to address disputes in the East Sea was held in Kuala Lumpur on January 13.

The 7th diplomatic – defence strategic dialogue between Vietnam and Australia, an annual activity since 2012, took place in Canberra on December 10.

India feels that maritime links through the East Sea are critical to peace, stability, prosperity and development of the Indo-Pacific region due to which it is vital to ensure freedom of navigation.