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Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang

Hang made the statement in Hanoi on May 21 in response to reporters’ question regarding the Chinese exercises, saying China’s dispatch of bombers to conduct take-off and landing drills in Hoang Sa has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the archipelago and run counter to the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.

Hang added that China’s acts have adversely affected negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between the ASEAN and China, fueled tensions and caused instability in the region, and hampered efforts to maintain peace, stability and cooperation in the East Sea.

“Vietnam requests China to immediately stop sending bombers to conduct drills in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, not to conduct militarization activities and to seriously respect the country’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, observe the Vietnam-China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues and the DOC, and create a favorable environment for the maintenance of regional peace, stability and cooperation”, Hang said.

Translated by Chung Anh