At a regular press briefing in Hanoi on June 24, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga said the National Development and Reform Commission of China recently approved a plan to develop the Hainan tourism island from 2010 to 2020, a plan which specifies that a marine-based complex managed by Hainan province includes the Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagos. The plan encourages the launch of more air and sea routes to Hoang Sa and the registration of usage rights to uninhabited islands there.

This act seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty, and runs counter to common agreements reached by the two countries’ top leaders, as well as going against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) that China and other ASEAN countries signed in 2002, said Ms Nga.

The spokesperson quoted point 5 of the DOC, saying parties concerned have agreed to restrain themselves from expanding, complicating disputes and affecting peace and stability in the East Sea, including activities to reside on uninhabited islands there. The parties have also agreed to settle disputes through constructive means.

Vietnam demands that China put an immediate end to this violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and strictly observe the DOC, said Ms Nga.