Ministry of Foreign Affairs talks about China's declared baselines in the Gulf of Tonkin

(Dan Tri) - Regarding China's recent announcement of baselines in the Gulf of Tonkin, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Vietnam has and will continue to exchange views with China on this issue.

The information was announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang at a press conference on the afternoon of March 14, when answering a question about Vietnam's reaction to China's recent announcement of baselines in the Gulf of Tonkin. Accordingly, Ms. Hang emphasized that Vietnam and China are two countries bordering the Gulf of Tonkin. On December 25, 2000, the two countries signed an Agreement on the delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin, which took effect on June 30, 2004, to determine the boundaries of the territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves of each country in the Gulf of Tonkin. Accordingly, Vietnam believes that coastal countries need to comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) when determining baselines used to calculate the breadth of territorial waters. This must also ensure that it does not affect the legitimate rights and interests of other countries, including freedom of navigation and transit rights through straits used for international navigation, and in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. "Vietnam has and will continue to exchange views with China on this issue in the spirit of friendship, understanding and mutual respect," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Map of the demarcation line of the Gulf of Tonkin between Vietnam and China (Source: Government Border Committee).

At the same time, Vietnam requested China to respect and comply with the agreement on the delimitation of territorial waters, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves between the two countries in the Gulf of Tonkin signed in 2000 between Vietnam and China and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. At the same time, Vietnam reserves its legal rights and interests under international law as well as the viewpoint stated in the June 6, 1996 statement of the Government of Vietnam regarding the May 15, 1996 statement of the Government of China announcing the baselines used to calculate the width of China's territorial waters. Previously, on March 1, China issued a statement on the baselines of the northern part of the Gulf of Tonkin according to the Law on Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone of this country issued in 1992, including 7 "base points" that when connected together form a new baseline to declare "territorial waters" in the Gulf of Tonkin.

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