(MOFA) - On 26 March 2020, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Regular Press Conference, in response to a report that Taiwan (China) has performed live-fire drill around Ba Binh island of Spratly Islands of Viet Nam, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang stated:

Viet Nam has ample legal grounds and historical evidence to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) Islands in accordance with the international laws.

As we have repeatedly asserted, Taiwan’s continuation of live-fire drills in the waters surrounding Ba Binh island of Viet Nam’s Spratly Islands is a serious violation of Viet Nam’s territorial sovereignty over the Islands, posing a threat to peace, stability, and maritime security and safety, as well as causing tension and complicating the situation in the East Sea (South China Sea).

Viet Nam resolutely protests against Taiwan’s live-fire exercise around Ba Binh (Itu Aba) island in Viet Nam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands and demands Taiwan to stop and not to repeat such actions in the future./.