BEIJING (Reuters) – The Chinese language overseas ministry on Wednesday stated China’s claims to the Paracel and Spratly Islands within the South China Sea had been backed by “historical past” after Vietnam over the weekend repeated it had enough proof to say sovereignty over the islands.
The Paracel and Spratly Islands, often known as the Hoang Sa and Trong Sa islands in Vietnam, are within the South China Sea, a busy international maritime waterway nearly all of which is claimed by China. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei are amongst different claimants.
Vietnam has “full authorized foundation and ample historic proof” to claim its sovereignty over the 2 island chains, its overseas ministry stated on Saturday, in response to a question from the media on China’s “invasion” of the Paracel Islands in 1974.
“Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa Islands has been established since not less than the seventeenth century in accordance with worldwide regulation, and exercised in a peaceable, steady and public method by successive Vietnamese states,” it stated.
However the Chinese language overseas ministry stated China’s claims are “totally supported by historical past and jurisprudence.”
“China was the primary to find, title, develop and handle these islands and archipelagos, and proceed to train sovereign jurisdiction over them,” stated Wang Wenbin, a Chinese language overseas ministry spokesperson, at an everyday information convention.
“China at all times opposes related international locations’ unlawful claims on China’s territory and can proceed to firmly safeguard its sovereignty.”
Vietnam’s re-assertion of its claims coincides with months of vigorous claims by the Philippines in different elements of the South China Sea after dramatic maritime encounters between Chinese language and Philippine vessels close to disputed territory.
In December, Chinese language President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam and sealed an settlement to maneuver in the direction of the constructing of a neighborhood with a “shared future” between the 2 international locations.
(Reporting by Liz Lee; writing by Ryan Woo; Modifying by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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