(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s speech at the 2014 World Economic Forum and his comments to reports about East Sea situation have drawn reactions from observers around the world.

Former Vietnamese Consul General in Guangzhou Duong Danh Dy said Dung’s words effectively refuted China’s defense of its wrong-doing and attempts to deflect blame onto Vietnam. He said Dung’s answers showed that Vietnam respects China’s role in the region but at the same time is not blind to actions that undermine regional peace and security.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Photo: internet

Lawyer Chau Huy Quang of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association said Dung’s message is the clearest indication of Vietnam’s stance on the East Sea dispute so far. This message encourages the people’s unity and support and clarifies the government’s policies and strategies regarding the East Sea.  

Regarding a possible legal solution under international law, Doctor Ian Storey of Singapore’s Southeast Asian Research Institute said Vietnam has sufficient legal arguments to deal with China. Professor Rommel C. Banlaoi, head of the Philippines’ Research Center for National Intelligence and Security said Vietnam should take the issue to an international court as a peaceful way to resolve the East Sea dispute.