In response to the media question concerning Viet Nam’s reaction to China’s arrest and on-going detention of 21 Vietnamese fishmen and 2 fishing boats QNg66101TS and QNg 66074TS, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi on March 21^st stated that: 

“Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago is under Viet Nam’s sovereignty. China has seriously violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty, sovereign and juridistional rights when arresting, detaining Vietnamese fishermen and hindering their fishery work in the waters of  Hoang Sa Archipelago. Viet Nam resolutely opposes these actions and asks China to immediately and unconditionally release all the fishermen and the boats and to stop capturing and disturbing Vietnamese fishermen in the waters of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam’s Foreign Ministry representatives met and handed to the Chinese Embassy in Ha Noi a diplomatic note stating Viet Nam’s positing and will keep pressing further on the settlement of this issue to protect Vietnamese fishermen’s legitimate interests."