Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pham Thu Hang (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Islands has been established since at least the 17th century in accordance with international law, and exercised in a peaceful, continuous, and public manner by successive Vietnamese states, Hang stressed.

Every threat or using of force in international relations, and especially the use of force to resolve territorial disputes between states, is in complete contravention to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, and is a serious violation of international law. Such an act neither establishes any territorial title of sovereignty, nor changes the truth that sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Islands belongs to Vietnam, the spokesperson affirmed.