Deputy spokesperson for the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang.

At a press conference in Hanoi on Thursday, Hang said Vietnam is ready to engage in negotiations on territorial disputes with involved countries.

Regarding China's vessel Haiyang Dizhi 4's recent activities in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, Hang said as reported by Vietnam's maritime law enforcement forces Nam, the vessel has left Vietnamese waters.

Commenting on the information that the Chinese Organization of Natural Sciences announced a list of 33 regular survey points, including some routes in the East Sea covering the Spratly Islands of Vietnam, Ms. Hang said: "Vietnam has sufficient legal basis and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes in accordance with international law as well as its sovereign right and jurisdiction over the waters established in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)."

"Conducting surveys and scientific research within the Spratly Islands and Vietnam's waters established in accordance with the 1982 UNCLOS without Vietnam's permission is a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Truong Sa islands and therefore are null and void," said Ms. Hang.

Chinadaily newspaper on Tuesday published an interview with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in which Mr. Anwar called for dialogue to resolve disputes in the East Sea. He said that this problem was not an insurmountable issue.

Commenting the Malaysian Prime Minister’s view, the deputy spokesperson reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of settling disputes by peaceful means in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.