(MOFA) - On 2nd July 2020, at the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to queries about Viet Nam’s reaction to a report that China has performed a drill around the Paracel Islands of Viet Nam, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang stated:

The drill carried out by China around the Paracel Islands violated Viet Nam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands, contravenes the spirit of the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), complicates the situation and is not conducive to current negotiation between China and ASEAN on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) as well as the maintenance of peace, stability and cooperation in the South China Sea.

Viet Nam made a presentation to and lodged a diplomatic note of protest and demanded the Chinese side not to repeat similar violations in the future.