Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang (Photo: VOV)

The spokesperson on Wednesday responded to a reporter’s question about Vietnam's reaction to China conducting military exercises in the waters to the north-northeast of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago. 

Ms. Hang said China’s actions run counter to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), complicate the situation, and are not conducive to the current China-ASEAN negotiations on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) and for the maintenance of peace, stability, and cooperation in the East Sea.

The spokesperson said Vietnam asks China to respect Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago and to halt and never repeat these violations.