Vietnam marks World Oceans Day and National Sea and Island Week
(VOVworld) - Hai Phong port city has hosted a ceremony to celebrate Vietnam's Sea and Island Week and World Oceans Day (June 8). Speaking at the event on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai urged the world community to support Vietnam in its protection of national sea and island sovereignty in line with international law.
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| Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai |
He said, for each and every Vietnamese, independence and sacred national sovereignty is inviolable: “Vietnam wishes for peace and friendship but they must be based on national sovereignty and independence. With immense national pride and dignity, we cannot accept an exchange of independence and national sovereignty with any forms of threats and imposition. Once again, Vietnam asks China to respect Vietnam’s national sovereignty in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and seriously respect the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea as well as bilaterally recognized principles to respect freedom of air and sea navigation in the East Sea. China must immediately withdraw its oil rig unconditionally from Vietnam’s waters and resolve disputes through peaceful means and talks based on international law principles.”