China’s announcement of the establishment of the so-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago) and “Nansha district” (Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago) within the new “Sansha city” will escalate tensions in the region, a Russian researcher on Vietnamese studies has said.
Professor Vladimir Kolotov from St Petersburg University (Photo: Facebook)
Moscow (VNA) - China’s announcement of the establishment of theso-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago) and “Nanshadistrict” (Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago) within the new “Sanshacity” will escalate tensions in the region, a Russian researcher on Vietnamese studieshas said.
The move will backfire and threaten stability in East Asia, Professor VladimirKolotov from St Petersburg University told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents inRussia.
The East Sea issue, he said, should be addressed on the basis of internationallaw.
In addition to taking advantage of its roles as a non-permanent member ofthe United Nations Security Council and ASEAN Chair 2020, he suggested Vietnam step up people-to-peoplediplomacy through friendship associations with other countries.
Several Russian news agencies and newspapers also posted articles regardingthe protest by Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang on the establishmentof the two districts within the so-called “Sansha city”.
On April 19, Hang said that Vietnam strongly protests the establishmentof the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts, as they seriously violate Vietnam’ssovereignty.
“Vietnam has affirmed many times that it has sufficient historical evidenceand legal foundation to assert its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos,” Hang said.
She stressed that any moves by China are invalid and unrecognised, harm friendshipamong nations, and further complicate the situation in the East Sea, the region,and the world.
“Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty, abolish its wrongfuldecisions relating to these recent moves, and not commit any similar acts in thefuture,” she said./.
The US Department of Defence issued a statement on April 9 expressing its deep concern over a Chinese coast guard's collision with and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel near Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in the East Sea.
US Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with three others, namely Bob Menendez, Cory Gardner and Ed Markey, on April 11 criticised the Chinese Coast Guard’s recent sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago waters in the East Sea.
Vietnam has taken correct and timely action on the East Sea issue by sending a diplomatic note to the UN Secretary General to oppose China's claim over the East Sea and assert Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, according to Russian international law researchers and experts.
Vietnam strongly protests the establishment of the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts as they seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, the spokesperson of Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 19.
China’s announcement of the establishment of the so-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago) and “Nansha district" (Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago) under “Sansha city” is “a provocation, illegal under international law,” said Professor Carl Thayer from Australia’s University of New South Wales on April 19.
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Professor Vladimir Kolotov from St Petersburg University (Photo: Facebook) 
