China must immediately cancel its national plan on islands protection, strictly follow DOC and take no more actions that may complicate the situation in the East Sea , said spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Luong Thanh Nghi.

Spokesman Nghi made the statement on April 24 while answering reporters’ questions on China State Oceanic Administration’s announcement on April 19 of the national plan on islands protection and exploration for the 2011-2020 period and vision to 2030. The plan divides the East Sea into seven sea areas, including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos of Vietnam .

“Vietnam affirms its undisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos and national sovereignty and jurisdiction rights in the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf under the regulations of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the spokesman said.

“The Chinese State Oceanic Administration’s announcement of the implementation of the national plan on islands protection and exploration seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos and its sovereignty and jurisdiction rights in its exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf; disregards the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and is contrary to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC),” he said./.