For centuries, Viet Nam has established and exercised its sovereignty over the two archipelagoes of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa in a peaceful and continuous manner. Any occupation action using force seriously violates the UN Charter and international law.

Presenting views on the East Sea issues, scholars said the complexity in the disputes in the East Sea led to difficulties in terms of technical aspects to find a solution, especially in border demarcation. Henry Bensurto Jr, Senior Special Assistant, Office of the Undersecretary for Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines, said that the so-called “9-dashed line” which China used to claim sovereignty over the islands is contrary to international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS.

More than 20 ancient wooden houses of 150-200 years old still remain intact architecturally on Ly Son Island. These are miniature museums, serving as “live witnesses” of Viet Nam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes.

the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings took place in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei from April 10-11. They included the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, the 9th ASEAN Politics-Security Community Council Meeting and the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting. These meetings were the first activities of the ASEAN foreign ministers in 2013. During the events, together with their focal task of making preparations for the 22nd ASEAN Summit slated for April 24-25, the ASEAN foreign ministers discussed the grouping’s orientations and prioritised focuses this year as well as shared their views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

For the first time in Viet Nam, there is a social science – humanity research studying Hoang Sa archipelago using archives of the Republic of Viet Nam regime. The research is carried out in a bid to support relevant agencies’ struggling to affirm Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the archipelago.

Observing the global trend of considering the 21st century as the century of ocean, the 4th conference of the 10th Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee has worked out the Viet Nam marine strategy to 2020. The strategy requests “the building of a unified, comprehensive, effective, and efficient State management agency in charge of sea and islands to fix existing limitations facing the sector-based State management over sea and islands.

General Phung Quang Thanh, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, visited the Viet Nam Marine Police Department (VMPD) on April 10. His entourage included lieutenant-general Nguyen Chau Thanh, Director of the General Department of Technology, as well as heads of the Departments of Personnel, Finance, Armed Forces, and Planning and Investment.

Being aware of its assigned functions and tasks and upholding the role of a key force in charge of managing and protecting border territory and security, the guard force of central Da Nang city has over the past years attached much importance to becoming a revolutionary, regular, modern and seasoned force.