On 16 July 2019, in respond to the question of jounarlists related to recent developments in the East Sea, the MOFA Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang makes the following statement:

"As we have asserted many times before, Viet Nam has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the waters in the South China Sea as established in the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, to which Viet Nam and other South China Sea littoral states are party. Therefore, all activities undertaken by foreign parties in Vietnamese waters must comply with relevant provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea and Vietnamese laws. Without Viet Nam’s permission, all actions undertaken by foreign parties in Vietnamese waters have no legal effect, and constitute encroachments in Vietnamese waters, and violations of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.

It is Viet Nam’s consistent position to resolutely and persistently stand against any act infringing upon Viet Nam’s sovereinty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in Vietnamese waters established in the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea through peaceful means in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. Viet Nam attaches utmost importance to peace, friendship, cooperation and goodwill, and stands ready to settle disputes and differences through peaceful means.

 On this basis, Viet Nam has been implementing a comprehensive range of peaceful measures for addressing issues, and staunchly demanding parties to respect Viet Nam’s waters and Viet Nam’s legitimate rights and interests in its waters and to refrain from acts that would further complicate the situation. Vietnamese authorities at sea have been exercising Viet Nam’s sovereinty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in a peaceful and lawful manner to safeguard Vietnamese waters".