Dr Hà Anh Tuấn, Director of the Centre for Policy Analysis under the Institute for South China Sea Studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam. Viet Nam News Hà Anh Tuấn, Director of the Centre for Policy Analysis under the Institute for South China Sea Studies, writes to Việt Nam News on the legal implications of the arbitral tribunal’s ruling and its impacts two years on. HÀ NỘI — On July 12, 2016, the Tribunal established under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) delivered a historical verdict in the arbitration instituted by the Philippines against China. The ruling has had long-term implications to the management and settlement of disputes in the South China Sea (called East Sea by Vietnam). Among the five conclusions of the arbitral tribunal, the two decisions most relevant to Việt Nam’s national security concerns are about the legality of China’s … [Read more...] about Arbitral ruling in South China Sea will have long-term impacts in dispute resolution: expert
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Vietnam voices support for US efforts to denuclearize Korean Peninsula
By Khanh Lynh  July 10, 2018 | 08:37 am GMT+7 Vietnam's Deputy Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Hanoi on July 9, 2018. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy The denuclearization was among topics discussed during Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Vietnam. Vietnam reaffirmed its support for the U.S. regarding its efforts to push denuclearization in North Korea at a meeting in Hanoi on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said he highly regarded the efforts of all involved parties in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Vietnam would support all constructive efforts through dialogues to achieve this goal, Minh said as he met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Vietnam would continue to act as an active, responsible member of the international community in this process, his ministry said in a statement. At the meeting, Pompeo said that the U.S. attaches great importance to … [Read more...] about Vietnam voices support for US efforts to denuclearize Korean Peninsula
Vietnam demands Facebook fix wrong depiction of its sovereignty
The Vietnamese government has demanded that Facebook takes immediate action to correct a map of Vietnam that does not include the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes. The Ministry of Information and Communications said on Sunday it had sent a notice to Facebook Inc., asking it to clarify the wrongful representation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagoes on its map. The map depicts the archipelagoes as Chinese territory at a time when the international community has backed criticism of China’s recent actions in the disputed South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea. A Facebook representative has responded that there was some “confusion” over the map, that it is a technical error without political intention, said Le Quang Tu Do, an official from the communication ministry. The issue is being investigated and measures will be taken soon to deal with it, the representative added. As of Monday morning, the map has not been … [Read more...] about Vietnam demands Facebook fix wrong depiction of its sovereignty
Vietnam calls for calm negotiations over maritime conduct
By Viet Anh  June 28, 2018 | 03:44 pm GMT+7 Avoid complicating issues, Vietnam urges as ASEAN, China work on code of conduct in the South China Sea. Vietnam wants all parties to stay calm and work for a Code of Conduct that is enforceable and regulates the behavior of all parties in disputed waters of the South China Sea under international law, a senior official said. The country is worried about China’s military actions that go against regional declaration of conduct in the South China Sea, because they can negatively impact negotiations on a Code of Conduct for the disputed waters, which is known in Vietnam as the East Sea. Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said Wednesday that China’s island reconstruction and installation and testing of military equipment in disputed areas went against the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of the Parties in the South China Sea. He was speaking at the 15th ASEAN-China Senior Officials Meeting on … [Read more...] about Vietnam calls for calm negotiations over maritime conduct
US weighs more South China Sea patrols to confront ‘new reality’ of China
The United States is considering intensified naval patrols in the South China Sea in a bid to challenge China’s growing militarization of the waterway, actions that could further raise the stakes in one of the world’s most volatile areas. The Pentagon is weighing a more assertive program of so-called freedom-of-navigation operations close to Chinese installations on disputed reefs, two U.S. officials and Western and Asian diplomats close to discussions said. The officials declined to say how close they were to finalizing a decision. Such moves could involve longer patrols, ones involving larger numbers of ships or operations involving closer surveillance of Chinese facilities in the area, which now include electronic jamming equipment and advanced military radars. U.S. officials are also pushing international allies and partners to increase their own naval deployments through the vital trade route as China strengthens its military capabilities on both the Paracel and … [Read more...] about US weighs more South China Sea patrols to confront ‘new reality’ of China
Vietnam should be on guard against China’s possible air-defense zone: major general
With recent landing and taking off drills carried out by Chinese bombers on the Paracel Islands, a Vietnamese major general said Vietnam should be on high alert for a possible establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) by China in the South China Sea. China’s activities have reflected its attempts to turn a “Chinese dream” of becoming a world power into reality. China is already using its Belt and Road Initiative to influence the region and control the waters, said major general, professor Nguyen Hong Quan, former deputy head of the Military Strategy Institute under the Ministry of Public Security. The Chinese air force announced on May 18 that several of its bombers, including the long-range, nuclear strike capable H-6K, had carried out landing and taking off drills at an island airfield in the Paracel Islands for the first time. The base H-6 aircraft’s combat radius of nearly 1,000 nautical miles means China’s basic bombers taking off … [Read more...] about Vietnam should be on guard against China’s possible air-defense zone: major general
The year in pictures: Vietnam in 2017
2017 has been a year of records for Vietnam in many ways. In November, the country hosted its biggest event, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Da Nang, attended by world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Just a week before APEC, Damrey, one of the biggest typhoons to hit Vietnam in 30 years, wreaked havoc in central Vietnam affecting Da Nang as well. In total, natural disasters have left 389 people dead or missing, causing damage totalling around VND60 trillion ($2.64 billion), according to the General Statistics Office. The economy boomed, hitting a 10-year high growth of 6.81 percent and so did tourism, welcoming a record high 12.9 million visitors. Even the corruption crackdown hit an all-time high, according to Communist Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong, under whose watch scores of high profile officials have been nabbed. Besides headline grabbing events, in 2017 photographers also … [Read more...] about The year in pictures: Vietnam in 2017
World’s largest amphibious aircraft makes maiden flight in China
China’s domestically developed AG600 performed its maiden flight on Sunday from an airport on the shores of the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea, the latest step in a military modernization program.China has stepped up research on advanced militaryequipment as it adopts a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places such as the disputed South China Sea, rattling nerves in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States.State television showed live images of the AG600 lifting off from Zhuhai airport in the southern province of Guangdong, which sits on the South China Sea coast.It returned about an hour later and taxied to its stand accompanied by martial music and greeted by crowds waving Chinese flags.Xinhua news agency said the aircraft was the “protector spirit of the sea, islands and reefs”.It had previously been scheduled to make its first flight earlier this year but it is unclear why it was delayed after ground tests took place in … [Read more...] about World’s largest amphibious aircraft makes maiden flight in China
Vietnam calls for UN’s comprehensive strategy to maintain peace
Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to the UN At the UN Security Council’s opendebate themed “Addressing Complex Contemporary Challenges to InternationalPeace and Security” held on December 20, Ambassador Nga laid stress on the roleof the UN Security Council in ensuring international security and peace. She affirmed support for thecouncil’s reform towards greater representation, democracy, transparency andresponsibility to ensure that the council can effectively carry out itsmission. Regarding Asia-Pacific issue, Ngareiterated Vietnam’s stanceof supporting the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsulavia peaceful solutions and called on related parties to restrain and fullyrespect relevant resolutions issued by the UN Security Council. She asserted Vietnam’s commitmentsin maintaining regional peace and stability and called on relevant sides toaddress East Sea (South China Sea) disputes through peaceful … [Read more...] about Vietnam calls for UN’s comprehensive strategy to maintain peace
While focus is on N.Korea, China continues disputed sea buildup: think tank
While attention in Asia has been distracted by the North Korean nuclear crisis in the past year, China has continued to install high-frequency radar and other facilities that can be used for military purposes on its man-made islands in the disputed East Sea (known internationally as South China Sea), a U.S. think tank said on Thursday. Chinese activity has involved work on facilities covering 72 acres (29 hectares) of the Spratly and Paracel islands, territory contested with several other Asian nations, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. The report cited satellite images. The United States and its allies oppose China's building of artificial islands in the disputed sea and their militarization, given concerns Beijing plans to use them to deny access to strategic routes. The report said that in the last several months China had constructed what appeared to be a new high-frequency radar array at the … [Read more...] about While focus is on N.Korea, China continues disputed sea buildup: think tank