(VOVworld) - Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said Vietnam has sufficient historical and legal evidence to affirm its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.

Ambassador Ton Sinh Thai (Photo: VNA)

At a seminar called “East Sea: security and economic implications” in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday, the Ambassador said Vietnam defends its sovereignty over the archipelagoes but stands ready to cooperate with other claimants to peacefully settle territorial disputes in Truong Sa and Hoang Sa in accordance with international law.

He urged all parties to maintain the status quo and refrain from threats or the use of force to settle disputes so as to prevent complicating the situation, while fully abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and promptly reaching an agreed Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

Thanh declared that Vietnam has sovereignty rights and jurisdiction rights within its 200- nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as stipulated in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam staunchly defends its rights and maintains regular activities in its territorial waters while continuing to work with other countries, including India, to explore and tap natural resources in its economic exclusive zone.

Vietnam backs compliance with and full implementation of the 1982 UNCLOS and consistently works to make the East Sea a region of peace, stability, and cooperation for mutual development, Thanh said.

He expressed grave concern about China’s militarization in the East Sea, which, he said, has not only violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa but has threatened peace and stability in the region and maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea, eroding strategic trust and seriously impacting peace, security, development, and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Several Indian scholars also expressed concern about China’s unilateral action in the East Sea and called for a peaceful settlement of disputes.