(VOVworld) - Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan penned an article to refute unconvincing arguments made by Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Xu Bu claiming China’s sovereignty over the East Sea. Xu Bu’s arguments were written in his article “Maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea” published in the Jakarta Post.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan

Tuan said China’s test flights of civilian aircraft on Vietnam’s Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) Reef and 46 flights in the Ho Chi Minh City Flight Information Region (FIR) managed and controlled by Vietnam showed Beijing’s intention to continue its occupation and domination of an area critical to Southeast Asian commerce and world trade. It has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and international convention on civil aviation.
Tuan showed concrete evidence proving Vietnam’s indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and made recommendations for China to turn its words into actions to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea. China must stop all construction work to create artificial islands and cease acts that change the status quo and militarise the East Sea. China should commit to maintain the status quo and quickly terminate the construction of an airport on Chu Thap Reef, since this threatens the sovereignty of Vietnam, peace and stability in the region, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea. China should fully implement the DOC, reach an agreement with the ASEAN on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea, and commit to resolving disputes on the basis of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Tuan said these are three initial but essential steps that will go a long way toward assuring peace, stability and security for the Southeast Asian region, which of course would serve the long-term interests of China as well.