Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has requested that China does not violate Việt Nam’s exclusive economic zone in the East Sea, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng said on Monday. 

Responding to a question from a reporter regarding the Hainan Maritime Safety Administration’s statement about Chinese drills in the East Sea, Spokeswoman Lê Thị Thu Hằng said: “Việt Nam always closely follows developments in the East Sea and exercises Việt Nam's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the seas in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS 1982). Part of the area mentioned in the statement belongs to Việt Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as defined under UNCLOS 1982.”

"Việt Nam asks China to respect and not violate Việt Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and not to take actions to complicate the situation, thereby contributing to the maintenance of peace, security and stability in the  East Sea area. Việt Nam has communicated with China on this issue,” she said. — VNS