Hanoi: Vietnam sent diplomatic notes to China and the Philippines to protest against their activities in the disputed waters of the Southern China Sea and urging them to respect its territorial claims, he said on Saturday May 3.
The declaration follows the activities of China and the Philippines to Sandy Cay, which Vietnam considers part of its territory, said the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Pham Thu Hang.
The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV last week said that his coastal guard landed on Sandy Cay as part of maritime control operations to exercise his sovereignty, while the Philippines sent a team to the sand banks and found no one there.
China and the Philippines also raised flags on Sandy Cay, action analysts have described as “Small provocations”.
“Vietnam requests that the parties concerned respect the sovereignty of Vietnam, respect international law and contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Eastern Sea,” said Hang in the press release, using the name of Vietnam for the Southern China Sea.
“Vietnam has communicated and sent diplomatic notes protesting against the countries concerned concerning the activities that violate Vietnam's sovereignty on Sandy Cay and the related entities of Truong SA,” she said.
Truong SA is the Vietnamese name for the Spratly Islands.
The Chinese and Philippine Embassy in Vietnam did not immediately respond to requests for comments from Reuters during the weekend.
