Hang made the statement in reply to the reporters’ questions
about the US Navy destroyer’s arrival on October 10 near the islands in
Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago under Vietnamese sovereignty that
China unilaterally claims the unreasonable sovereignty.
"As a sovereign state over Hoang Sa Archipelago and as a member of the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Vietnam has
repeatedly affirmed its consistent stance that every country has the right to
enjoy freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea in accordance with the
provisions of international law, especially UNCLOS," she said.
On October 10, Reuters quoted US officials as saying that the guided missile
destroyer USS Chafee had sailed close to Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago
but not within 12 nautical miles of the islands.
The same day, the official also responded a question on the Cambodian
administration’s plan to re-grant legal papers to expatriates in Cambodia,
including the Vietnamese.
Vietnam wishes that Cambodia will continue making it easier in terms of legal
conditions and adopting proper measures to ensure the legitimate rights and
interests of Vietnamese Cambodians in the country as stated by the two
countries’ leaders and in line with Cambodian and international law.
"Vietnam and Cambodia have maintained the time-honoured neighbourly friendship.
The Vietnamese-Cambodian community in Cambodia has contributed to Cambodia’s
development as well as reinforcing the tradition and friendship between the two
countries,” Hang said.
"We hope that during the process of finalizing their legal papers, these people
are helped to stabilize their lives to contribute their part to Cambodia’s
socio-economic life, thereby strengthening the traditional friendship and
all-around cooperation between the two nations,” she added.
Source: VOV