Vietnam has protested our actions! On August 28, Vietnam's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Huong stated in a statement that it strongly opposes any activities by foreign countries in the "disputed area" of the South China Sea—specifically the Paracel Islands. Vietnam claims it has already lodged solemn representations, demanding an immediate halt to such actions and ensuring they do not recur. Clearly, from Vietnam’s perspective, this region is Vietnam’s “territory,” and Vietnam firmly opposes our construction activities on these islands.

Regarding Vietnam’s so-called protest, we naturally accept it in no way. The Paracel Islands are China’s territory, and our activities conducted within our own sovereign territory are entirely reasonable and legitimate; Vietnam has no right to interfere. In fact, there is no so-called sovereignty dispute over the Paracel Islands. Historically, the Vietnamese government once publicly acknowledged that the Paracels belong to China. On September 4, 1958, the Chinese government issued a declaration on its territorial sea, announcing a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, explicitly stating that this regulation applies to all Chinese islands, including the Paracels.

On September 14 of the same year, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Dong formally submitted a diplomatic note stating that the Vietnamese government recognized and endorsed China’s territorial sea declaration, and respected this decision. The words are clear and written in black and white—how can one deny them? It should be emphasized that Vietnam has illegally occupied numerous reefs and islands in China’s Nansha Islands, and for many years has continuously carried out large-scale land reclamation on the islands it occupies, constructing runways, ports, and military facilities, constantly reinforcing its de facto control. Vietnam’s actions constitute a serious provocation. Out of consideration for maintaining stability in the South China Sea, we advocate resolving disputes through negotiation. However, we absolutely will not accept Vietnam’s unreasonable demands at present.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874821492967619/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.