Vietnam strongly protested China’s launch of weather stations in the disputed Spratly islands, saying yesterday they seriously violate Vietnam’s sovereignty and complicate the situation in the South China Sea.
China last week announced it started operations of the stations on three islands to offer weather forecasts to fishermen in the South China Sea region and neighboring countries as well as passing ships.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told reporters at a regular briefing Thursday that Vietnam has legal basis and historical evidence to assert its sovereignty over the Spratlys and Paracels and asked China to stop the action.
“The fact that China started use of meteorological observation stations on the illegally built structures in the Spratlys has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over the islands,” she said.
“Vietnam persistently opposes this act and asks China to immediately stop the above-said actions,” she said.
Hang said China should abide by the principles reached between the two countries guiding the settlement of the maritime issues and the Declaration of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea “without complicating the situation, affecting peace, security and stability” in the South China Sea.
Vietnam and China along with five others claim all or parts of the Spratlys. AP
When will the world realize…China just doesn’t care what anyone else says. They know that no one will stand up to them or retaliate. Other than the U.S. there is NO country that even comes close to the military might of China. Why should they stop taking over all of the South China Sea? Until EVERY, and I repeat EVERY other nation stands up to them in unison (and this includes Russia which is too strongly tied to China) they will continue to grow until the waters of that entire region belong to them.