China’s announcement of the establishment of the so-called “Xisha district” (Viet Nam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago) and “Nansha district” (Viet Nam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago) within the new “Sansha city” will escalate tensions in the region, a Russian researcher on Vietnamese studies has said.

Professor Vladimir Kolotov from St Petersburg University (Photo: Facebook)

The move will backfire and threaten stability in East Asia, Professor Vladimir Kolotov from St Petersburg University told the Viet Nam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents in Russia.

The East Sea issue, he said, should be addressed on the basis of international law.

In addition to taking advantage of its roles as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and ASEAN Chair 2020, he suggested Viet Nam step up people-to-people diplomacy through friendship associations with other countries.

Several Russian news agencies and newspapers also posted articles regarding the protest by Viet Nam’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang on the establishment of the two districts within the so-called “Sansha city”.

On April 19, Hang said that Viet Nam strongly protests the establishment of the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts, as they seriously violate Viet Nam’s sovereignty.

“Viet Nam has affirmed many times that it has sufficient historical evidence and legal foundation to assert its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos,” Hang said.

She stressed that any moves by China are invalid and unrecognised, harm friendship among nations, and further complicate the situation in the East Sea, the region, and the world.

“Viet Nam demands that China respect Viet Nam’s sovereignty, abolish its wrongful decisions relating to these recent moves, and not commit any similar acts in the future,” she said.

Source: VNA