Hanoi, Vietnam – Vietnam has issued formal diplomatic protests to both China and the Philippines over recent activities in contested areas of the South China Sea, asserting that such actions infringe upon its territorial sovereignty.
In a statement released Saturday, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang confirmed that diplomatic notes had been sent to both nations in response to their presence and actions near Sandy Cay — a feature Vietnam considers part of its sovereign territory.
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“Vietnam requests that relevant parties respect Vietnam’s sovereignty, comply with international law, and contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea,” Hang said, using the Vietnamese term for the South China Sea.
Hang specifically cited violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Sandy Cay and adjacent areas within the Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) archipelago. “Vietnam has communicated and sent diplomatic notes protesting relevant countries regarding activities that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty over Sandy Cay and related entities of the Truong Sa,” she added.
Sandy Cay is situated close to Thitu Island, the largest and most strategically significant outpost occupied by the Philippines in the disputed Spratly chain. The area remains a flashpoint involving overlapping claims by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
The embassies of both China and the Philippines in Hanoi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The latest protests come amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, a region believed to be rich in natural resources and of vital strategic importance. China continues to assert expansive maritime claims using its so-called “nine-dash line,” which encompasses more than 90% of the sea — encroaching upon the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
Vietnam has repeatedly called for adherence to international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and has urged all parties to avoid unilateral actions that could escalate tensions in the region.
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