China

HÀ NỘI – Experts yesterday called on ASEAN to play a central role in balancing the rivalry between China and the US in the Asia Pacific region . The economic and military rise of China - and the Asia pivot policy of President Obama’s presidency - have resulted in more intense competition between the two world powers. This has created a dilemma for the ASEAN bloc, said Lê Hồng Hiệp of HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities at an international conference held in Hà Nội yesterday. More than 70 officials and experts from universities and think tanks in the Asian Pacific region gathered to discuss the US-China relationship and its security impacts in Southeast Asia – one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world. “The hardest thing (for ASEAN) is to influence both China and the US, but not take sides with either of them,” Hiệp said. “ASEAN is economically connected to China, yet relies on the US for security”. Despite being in close … [Read more...] about ASEAN key to balance China-US rivalry

HÀ NỘI (VNS) — The EU is committed to maintaining the principles of international maritime law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Maritime prioroties include the maintenance of maritime safety, security, and cooperation, freedom of navigation and overflight. A public declaration on Recent Developments in the South China Sea was released yesterday by the High Representative on behalf of the 28 EU Member States. The EU does not take a position land, territory and maritime claims in the South China Sea. Instead, the EU urges all claimants to resolve disputes through peaceful means, to clarify the basis of their claims, and to pursue claims in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS and its arbitration procedures. The EU is concerned about the deployment of missiles on islands in the South China Sea, according to the declaration. The deployment of military forces and equipment on disputed maritime features affects regional … [Read more...] about EU issues declaration on South China Sea

Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Vice Spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng . — File Photo HÀ NỘI (VNS) — Việt Nam welcomed China’s plan to release water from Jinghong Hydropower Station reservoir into lower Mekong River from March 15 to April 4 to deal with drought in Việt Nam. The statement was made by Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Vice Spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng yesterday. Earlier, Việt Nam proposed to China that they increase the outflow from the Jinghong Hydropower Station to the lower reaches of the Mekong River to cope with the drought and salt intrusion in a number of the Mekong Delta provinces in Việt Nam. “We held that the protection and sustainable use of water in the Mekong River is the responsibility shared by countries along the river to harmonise the interests of relevant nations and lives of regional people,” the vice spokeswoman said. Across the Mekong Delta region – Việt Nam’s largest rice producer – as many as 140,000 hectares (ha) of rice has been damaged … [Read more...] about VN welcomes China’s plan to increase Mekong outflow

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng receives Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan in Hà Nội on March27. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng HÀ NỘI (VNS) — Việt Nam wants to co-operate with China to sustain peace and stability in the East Sea on the basis of respecting mutual interests and abiding by international law, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng said on March 27 in a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan in Hà Nội. Chang has been on a three-day visit to Việt Nam, which ends on March28. General Secretary Trọng also suggested that the neighbouring nations continue organising high-level meetings and carrying out defence co-operation mechanisms - like the Defence Policy Dialogue and joint patrols on the Tonkin Gulf and along the borders - in order to further strengthen bilateral ties. Chang said China highly values its relationship and comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership with Việt Nam, and that the Chinese army would co-operate with the … [Read more...] about Việt Nam, China hold talks on East Sea dispute, defence

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lê Hải Bình. — File Photo HÀ NỘI  — Việt Nam requested China to cancel its oil drilling plan and promptly remove its Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig from the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin whose delineation is under negotiation, said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lê Hải Bình. He made the statement yesterday in reply to reporters’ queries on Việt Nam’s reaction to China sending the rig to operate in the waters off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin on Sunday. According to a spokesperson, the rig was located at 17 degrees 3 minutes 12 seconds latitude north and 110 degrees 4 minutes 18 seconds longitude east. The demarcation of this area is being negotiated over by Việt Nam and China. “Việt Nam demands China not repeat such unilateral actions that complicate the situation and make pragmatic contributions to peace and stability in the East Sea,” he said. “Việt Nam maintains and protects all of its legitimate rights and interests to the above-mentioned … [Read more...] about VN calls on China to end drilling plans

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lê Hải Bình. — File Photo Viet Nam News - HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam adamantly opposes China’s fishing suspension – a void decision – in the East Sea, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lê Hải Bình has said. He responded to reporters’ question regarding China’s announcement of the time, area and measures for implementing a moratorium from noon of May 16 to noon of August 1. The moratorium covers the sea areas, including Hoàng Sa (Paracel) archipelago, under Việt Nam’s sovereignty in the East Sea. The announcement was publicised on the portal of the administration of Haikou city in the Chinese province of Hainan, and on some online newspapers from China. “Việt Nam determinedly objects to and refutes this void decision”, the spokesman stressed. He added that Việt Nam had sufficient legal foundations and historical evidence testifying to its sovereignty over Hoàng Sa archipelago, as well as its legitimate rights over its sea areas, which are specified in … [Read more...] about VN rejects China’s East Sea fishing ban

NANNING — Stability, security and development of the Việt Nam–China land borders is being promoted as a result of the implementation of three bilateral legal documents on the land border, the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung said. He and his Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin co-chaired a meeting in China’s Nanning city yesterday. The purpose of the event was to review the five-year implementation of the protocol on border demarcation and marker planting, the agreement on border management regulations, and the agreement on border gates and land border gate management regulations. The event was attended by officials of the two countries’ ministries of foreign affairs, public security and national defence, relevant agencies, and border provinces. Trung noted that on November 18, 2009, the Vietnamese and Chinese Governments signed the three legal documents on the land border, opening a new chapter in their land border relations. … [Read more...] about VN–China border stability enhanced

Viet Nam News Nha Trang, KHÁNH HÒA – The arbitral ruling last month laid out a historic legal basis for a step closer to resolving territorial disputes in the East Sea (South China Sea), yet it will take patience to expect any breakthroughs on the way, especially a change of view from China, experts have said. The Hague’s Arbitral Tribunal on July 12 rendered its long-awaited ruling in favour of the Philippines against China, slamming its so-called nine-dash-line encircling more than 90 per cent of the East Sea. The award also categorised which features in the Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelago were islands or just mere rocks, of which the latter could not generate a maritime zone according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “The ruling rejected the ’historic rights’ of China and significantly narrowed the disputed area among the claimant states,” Phan Duy Hảo, senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Centre for International Law … [Read more...] about China’s change of view not expected soon in East Sea dispute

The upcoming visit to China of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng from January 12 to 15 is aimed at further strengthening Việt Nam-China ties and defining the long-term direction of their healthy and stable development. — Photo thanhnien.vn The upcoming visit to China of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng from January 12 to 15 is aimed at further strengthening Việt Nam-China ties and defining the long-term direction of their healthy and stable development. The Vietnam News Agency analyses that past relationship with China and its future prospects. Stable trend The visit takes place at a time of overall stability in Việt Nam-China ties, with certain progress made in several fields. Promoting co-operation China has always been Vietnam’s leading trade partner while Vietnam is currently the sixth largest export market and the 11th largest import market of China. . The number of Chinese arrivals in Việt Nam grew in the first 10 months of 2016 topped 2.2 … [Read more...] about Party chief’s visit to define Vietnam-China direction

Bình Thuận gears up to develop ocean economy, ensure sovereignty protection Debunking China's baseless and illogical 'Four Shas' claim Việt Nam rejects China’s statement on sovereignty over Trường Sa islands Korean scholar says states should not resort to force China asked to withdraw ships from Việt Nam’s territorial waters BEIJING — Việt Nam and China issued a Joint Communiqué on the occasion of the official January 12-15 visit to China by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng. The visit was made at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. The Joint Communiqué said that during the visit, the Vietnamese Party chief held talks with Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping, and met with China’s Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang; Chairman of the National People’s Congress of China (NPCC) Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang; Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s … [Read more...] about Joint communiqué charts course for stronger VN-China ties