Vietnam rebukes China’s celebration of so-called Hoang Sa, Truong Sa recovery
Tuesday, December 13, 2016, 14:43 GMT+7
Vietnam has opposed China’s commemoration of the so-called 70th anniversary of the recovery of Hanoi’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
Hanoi objects to the Chinese Navy’s celebration on December 8 of what Beijing claimed to be 70 years of recovering the two archipelagoes, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Le Hai Binh asserted during a press meeting on Monday.
“China’s above-mentioned activity cannot alter Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa,” Spokesperson Binh stated, adding that it went against the developmental trend of the two countries’ relationship and complicated the current situation.
“Vietnam resolutely opposes that move,” the Vietnamese diplomat said.
He reiterated that Hanoi has sufficient historical evidence and legal foundations to affirm its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, the country’s long-standing territories.
After World War II, the international community rejected China’s claim to these islands, Binh continued.
According to historical records, China attacked and seized Hoang Sa from Vietnam in 1974 and later killed Vietnamese soldiers to seize the Gac Ma (Johnson South) reef of Truong Sa in 1988.
However, the international community has condemned China’s absurd claims to the sets of islands.
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