Vietnam accuses Beijing of ‘seriously violating’ sovereignty in South China Sea

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Vietnam accuses Beijing of ‘seriously violating’ sovereignty in South China Sea

• Move to create administrative units for disputed Paracel and Spratly Islands angers Hanoi
• China has been engaged in a series of stand-offs with rival claimants recently

 

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China’s latest activities in the South China Sea have triggered a strong protest from rival claimant Vietnam, which said the move “seriously violated” its sovereignty.


The complaint came after China announced on Sunday that it had set up two new administrative districts on the Paracel and Spratly Islands.


The two districts – which China referred to as Xisha and Nansha – will be under the control of Sansha, a city the Chinese government created in 2012 to assert its claims over the South China Sea.


Vietnam’s foreign ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang issued a statement of protest on Sunday, and said the move would further complicate the situation in the South China Sea.

 

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These acts are not conducive to the development of the friendly relations between countries and further complicate the situation in the East Sea [Vietnam’s name for the South China Sea], the region and the world,” she said.


“Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and annul its wrongful decisions and not repeat similar activities in the future


Under the new plan, the new district of Xisha will be in charge of Paracel Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. The Nansha district will manage the Spratly Islands, where there are also multiple competing claims.

 

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