Legal solutions best for South China Sea row, but prepare for war: researcher
The Vietnamese government should consider legal action as part of a package of measures to solve territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea, an independent Vietnamese researcher has said.
“To me, the first and foremost action should be suing China in international court and preparing for the neutralisation of invasions and actions from Beijing,” said Le Vinh Truong, former executive member of the Southeast Asian Sea Research Foundation.
Registered in France, the foundation is a nonprofit organisation that studies contentious South China Sea issues and provides information to the public regarding Vietnam’s claims to sovereignty.
Countries in Southeast Asia including the Philippines and Vietnam have been at loggerheads with China over the South China Sea for a long time. Among the disputes, the Philippines filed a complaint with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which ruled in favour of Manila last year that China had no historical rights over islands in the contentious sea.
While Vietnam was not directly involved in the case, Truong said Vietnamese authorities and citizens could uphold the PCA ruling and other legal judgements as a lawabiding nation in the international community.
Beside legal means, Vietnam will take advantage of internaฌtional and domestic forums to explain the legal aspects of Vietnamese sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands, as they are locally known, to the international community, Truong said. “Vietnam should prepare for corollary situations, including but not limited to armed conฌflicts,” he added.
“There should be a promotion of Vietnam’s comprehensive strength in all aspects of the economy, international stance, military and people’s unity,” he said.
Vietnam has solid historical evidence to prove its rights over islands in the South China Sea, Truong said. Vietnamese authorฌities from the period of the Nguyen lords and Tay Son dynasty through to the present government have explored, administered and exploited the two archipelagos in a continuous and peaceฌful manner, he said. “Therefore, we have full rights with these two archipelagos,” he added.
Modern conflicts between China and Vietnam have continฌued since China invaded and took control of the Paracels in 1974 and took control of five rocks in the Spratlys in 1988.
