(VOVworld) - China’s recent decision to open tours in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago of Vietnam is a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. In response to a reporter’s question following news that China plans to operate tours from Sanya city of China’s Hainan province to the Paracel islands, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh said Thursday that Vietnam has indisputable sovereignty over the Paracel islands.
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| Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh (Photo: VOV) |
China’s move runs counter to a Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea disputes and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). It further complicates the situation in the East Sea and the region. Vietnam demands that China immediately end this illegal action.