Review seven seas mariner

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

Farmers breed fish in cages in Phú Quý Island District in central province of Bình Thuận. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is developing a draft decree to replace Decree No 51/2014/NĐ-CP (Decree 51) allotting sea areas to organisations and individuals for exploiting marine resources. According to the ministry, since Decree 51, dated 2014, came into effect in 2015, the ministry had received seven applications for marine resources exploitation and use. The provinces of Quảng Ninh, Quảng Trị, Phú Yên, Bình Thuận and Kiên Giang assigned 12 sea areas to private organisations and individuals for this purpose. The assignment helped boost the marine economy of these localities as well as encouraged organisations/individuals to invest in projects on sea ports and wind energy. The investment is reportedly worth billions of US dollars. However, after three years of implementation of Decree 51, its … [Read more...] about Ministry proposes changes in regulations on marine resources

Fish is carried from boats at Cà Ná Fishing Port in Thuận Nam District, south central province of Ninh Thuận. — VNA/VNS Photo Công Thử Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is reaping the benefits of a national strategy laid out 10 years ago to garner riches from the country’s long coastline, over 3,000 islands and abundant water areas three times the size of its land mass. In 2007, the 10th Party Central Committee ratified the Việt Nam Maritime Strategy towards 2020. The strategy, and the myriad guidelines, policies and generous investment that have followed it have turbo-charged Việt Nam ’s coastal economy, which includes tourism, fisheries, oil and gas, and other sectors reliant on the sea. However, a wide range of challenges stands in the way of the country reaching its primary targets: ensuring the sea-based economy accounts for 53-55 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita income in coastal areas doubles the average of the whole country … [Read more...] about 10 years on, Việt Nam’s vision of strong sea-based economy faces rows of roadblocks

Thousands of people in Quảng Trị central province collect garbage on beaches and other places in response to the Sea and Islands Week from June 1 to 8. – Photo baochinhphu.vn Viet Nam News QUẢNG NGÃI – Thousands of people in the coastal areas of Quảng Ngãi central province have been educated on the management, protection and sustainable development of the sea and islands. They have been made aware of these issues through training courses and direct awareness communication over the past two years by the provincial natural resource and environment department. People have been taught about the techniques of prevention, response, control and overcoming of the consequences of natural disasters and marine incidents to ensure their safety as well as the safety of fishing boats. The province has set up self-management teams to protect the marine environment and join forces on the sea to protect the sovereignty of the islands. Nguyễn Thanh, chairman of Lý Sơn district People’s … [Read more...] about Coastal areas raise awareness on marine protection

Fishing boats head for the open sea, affirming Việt Nam’s sovereign over sea and islands. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam News HẢI PHÒNG — The Việt Nam Farmers’ Association hosted the “head for the open sea” festival in coastal Hải Phòng City on Thursday, calling people to join hands in protecting the marine environment and securing sovereignty over the sea and its islands. The festival, the first of its kind in Việt Nam, included activities like an incense offering ceremony to memorise those who died at sea, a whale worshipping ceremony and the release of baby shrimp/ fish into sea in the city’s Cát Bà Island District. The farmers’ association and Hải Phòng City People’s Committee teamed up to give local fishermen national flags to fly on their sea trips. A fleet of fishing boats steamed off to the high seas, traveling around Cát Bà Bay and representing the hope of bumper catches. President of Việt Nam Farmers’ Association Lại Xuân Môn told Nông thôn ngày nay (Countryside … [Read more...] about First “Head for the open sea” festival held

Tân Vũ Port in Hải Phòng City. The city has been urged to focus on developing the sea-based economy, marine and logistics services. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Huệ Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary, President Nguyễn Phú Trọng asked the northern port city of Hải Phòng to develop a strong sea-based economy during a meeting between the Politburo and the municipal Party Committee in Hà Nội on Thursday. The meeting focused on Resolution No 32-NQ/TW, issued in August 2003, on developing Hải Phòng in line with industrialisation and modernisation. Politburo members agreed that over the past 15 years, the city’s Party organisation, administration and people have made efforts to develop sustainably. Hải Phòng’s economic growth rate has been relatively high, at about 1.68 times higher than the national average. In 2017, the size of the economy was 4.27 times greater than 2003’s figure, while per capita GDP reached US$3,964, 1.54 times more than the national average and up 5.43 … [Read more...] about Hải Phòng urged to develop strong sea-based economy

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc receives Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Hà Nội yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc received Indonesia ’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Hà Nội yesterday. Welcoming his guest at the reception, the Government leader affirmed Việt Nam and Indonesia are both members of ASEAN, sharing close bilateral ties and mutual support in regional and international concerns. Congratulating Việt Nam on recent socio-economic growth, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated Việt Nam is a development model that his country can learn from, particularly in reducing poverty and overpopulation. He informed his host of the 2018 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Indonesia this October. He said Indonesian President Joko Widodo suggested the organisation of an ASEAN leaders’ meeting on … [Read more...] about PM receives Indonesian marine minister

Vessels in a fishing co-operative in Đồng Hới City of the central coastal province of Quảng Bình. — VNA/VNS Photo Thế Duyệt Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — The South China Sea (the East Sea ) is one of the richest seas in the world, but its resources are being depleted quickly. According to experts at the second Ocean Dialogue, themed fisheries co-operation, held yesterday in Hà Nội, stakeholders in the sea, including coastal countries and international agencies, must collaborate on safeguarding fisheries. In remarks opening the dialogue, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam Lê Hải Bình said for regional countries, fishing in the South China Sea brings about more than simple economic benefits. It strongly affects the socio-economic stability and survival of hundreds of millions of people living along coastal areas, he said, adding that fisheries are closely linked to legitimate rights to maritime resources under the international law on the sea. However, in … [Read more...] about Co-operation needed to safeguard East Sea fisheries: experts

Deputy spokesperson for the Việt Nam Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Phương Trà during a November 22 press briefing in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Joint oil exploration between China and Philippines in the South China Sea (called East Sea by Việt Nam) can only be conducted in waters over which the two have sovereignty and sovereign rights as per international law. Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Phương Trà made the statement at the regular press briefing held Thursday in Hà Nội as she received inquiries regarding Việt Nam’s stance on an array of memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the Philippines, which include one on oil and gas development in the South China Sea, to which Việt Nam also lays claim. The Chinese leader also expressed a desire to negotiate with other countries in the South China Sea on similar co-operation mechanisms. “As a … [Read more...] about Philippines-China joint oil activities in East Sea must follow int’l law: foreign ministry

Marine police regularly inspect vessels as part of measures to prevent oil smuggling. — Photo xangdau.net HÀ NỘI (VNS) — The marine police have caught six vessels for smuggling 700,000 litres of diesel in the sea bordering Việt Nam and Malaysia, the government’s online newspaper said. The three Thai and three Việtnamese vessels were carrying 42 people, comprising 16 people from Cambodia, nine from Thailand and 16 from Việt Nam. This is the largest oil smuggling case to be discovered by the marine police of Việt Nam, in terms of the number of vessels and people involved. The case is under further investigation. — VNS … [Read more...] about Marine police catch transnational oil smugglers