Paracel and Spratly sovereignty asserted

Vietnam has sufficient historical and legal claim on the Paracel and Spratly islands to affirm its sovereignty over them, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Dung said Feb. 17. The statement was in reaction to recent reports that China has begun “aggressively researching” the disputed archipelagoes. Dung said any such action without Vietnam’s approval is a “violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights to these areas.” (VNA, Thai Press Reports Feb. 18).