Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Responding to a reporter’s query on Vietnam’s reaction to the June 17 incident, Hang said Vietnam calls on each side to exercise maximum restraint, behave in line with international law, respect sovereign rights and jurisdiction over every coastal country’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as defined in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They should seriously and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), respect and observe international rules on the safety of navigation and overflight, and work toward the prevention and control of collisions and crashes at sea, and should handle disputes and differences by peaceful measures, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region, Hang said.