A Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman says China's naval drill off the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea violates Vietnam's sovereignty over the island chain.
- 24 Jul 2015
channelnewsasia.com
HANOI: Vietnam has demanded China stop at once a military exercise off the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Navy kicked off a 10-day drill in the area on Wednesday (Jul 23), with its defence ministry calling it a regular “military exercise that does not target any other country”.
China has claims over most of the South China Sea, despite overlapping those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.
The naval drill is seen as the latest in a string of provocative actions by China this year.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh on Thursday demanded China stop the exercise immediately, saying it violates Vietnam's sovereignty over the chain of islands and reefs known as the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, raising tensions and threatening the region's maritime security.
He added that China’s actions go against what leaders of both countries have agreed upon.
This incident takes place just one week after China’s Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli visited Hanoi, where he was given a warm welcome by Vietnam’s top leaders.
State media on both sides hailed the visit as a sign of improving ties and that dialogue continues despite the troubles in South China Sea, known in Vietnam as the East Sea.
But while Vietnam's media has been relatively quiet about China's naval drill, Vietnamese authorities will be closely watching the military exercise.
Analysts Channel NewsAsia spoke to do not expect this to be the last incident to strain relations with China.
- CNA/ec
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