A Thursday announcement by a Vietnamese diplomat highlighted Hanoi’s protest against Taiwan sending former officials to an island belonging to the former’s territory and issuing stamps that indicated a claim to the area.
Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Le Hai Binh announced that Hanoi objected to Taiwan dispatching former high-ranking officials to Ba Binh (Itu Aba) Island, part of Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
The Southeast Asian country also announced its dissent with Taiwan’s recent issuance of stamps featuring an image of the island, indicating a claim over the piece of land in the East Vietnam Sea, Spokesperson Binh asserted.
The diplomat stated that Taiwan conducting such activities despite Hanoi’s concern and opposition was a serious violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty, intensifying regional situations and compromising peace and stability.
“The actions of Taiwanese authorities shall not change that fact that Vietnam has authority over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes,” Binh said.
Taiwan was previously rapped by Vietnam on March 24 for organizing a press trip for 20 international journalists to the same island.
Guided by a Taiwanese official, the journalists visited the island’s post office, freshwater well, seaport, and a temple designed using traditional Chinese architecture - all of which were constructed illegally by Taiwan.
The Southeast Asian country reiterated that all activities being carried out in the two areas without Vietnamese authorities’ consent will be considered unlawful, null, and void.
In late January, Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou also came to the island, visiting healthcare and agricultural facilities and expressing his intention to improve medical services on the island for humanitarian purposes.
Hanoi reacted to the incident by expressing its resolute condemnation of the visit, demanding that Taiwan halt its infringement on Vietnamese sovereignty over the group of islands.
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