Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh

Le Hai Binh told reporters in a regular press briefing on Thursday: “Regarding this issue, Vietnam has communicated with China including at senior levels. Once again, we confirm Vietnam’s sufficient legal grounds and historical evidence on Vietnam’s national sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes. Any activities of construction and expansion by foreign countries in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes’ reefs without Vietnamese government’s permission are absolutely illegal and invalid. Vietnam resolutely opposes those acts and ask relevant parties to comply with the Declaration on Conducts of Parties in the East Sea in earnest to practically contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.”

The spokesman welcomed the US removal of Cuba from a list of terrorist sponsors, believing that this is an important step in resetting diplomatic ties towards normalization of bilateral relations.