"The activities of Chinese ships in the waters off Grierson Reef seriously violate Vietnam’s sovereignty and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," Foreign Affairs Ministry spokewoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Thursday.

The Grierson Reef of the Spratly Islands. Photo by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

"This goes against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and complicates the situation in the sea. Vietnam demands that China ends its violations, respects Vietnam's sovereignty, comply with the DOC and not complicate the situation further," Hang said.

"It should be repeated that Vietnam has full legal basis and historical evidence to assert sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, in accordance with international law. As a coastal state and a member of the UNCLOS, Vietnam enjoys sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with the convention," she said at a press meet, answering questions about the situation of many Chinese ships anchored in the reef in the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea.

The Grierson Reef belongs to Spratly Islands and is part of Sinh Ton Commune, Truong Sa District in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.

Hang said Vietnam's maritime law enforcement forces are fulfilling their obligations under Vietnamese and international laws, such as UNCLOS, in coping with the issue.

The Philippines Coast Guard announced earlier that some 220 vessels, believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, were seen operating near a reef in the South China Sea on March 7. The vessels kept the light on overnight, but have not engaged in any fishing activities despite the convenient weather.

Philippine military chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana confirmed Monday that the ships are still in the area and the Philippines is making an accounting of the exact number of vessels.

The U.S. Embassy has said it shared the concerns of the Philippines and accused China of using "maritime militia to intimidate, provoke, and threaten other nations, which undermines peace and security in the region."

An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea, but Beijing does not recognize the ruling. China has in recent years built islands in the waters, putting air strips on some of them.

Bac Giang: Bo Da Pagoda historical relic site explored through QR code

(BGO) - On the occasion of the 90th founding anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on March 26 (1931-2021), the Youth Union and the Office of Culture and Information of Viet Yen district launched the youth project “Guiding the searching for information about the special national historical relic site of Bo Da Pagoda via QR code”.

North-South Expressway delayed by slow land acquisition

Only 96.9 percent of the land required for the sections of the North-South Expressway currently under construction has been acquired, a task originally scheduled to be completed last year.

Source: VnExpress