The spokeswoman made the statement following a decision taken by China’s Hainan Province to establish hamlet committees on the Phu Lam and Cay islands on November 8. China calls these islands Yongxing and Zhashu.

“Vietnam protests the Chinese decision. This has critically violated territories under Vietnam’s sovereignty,” Nga said.

The action is not in keeping with the “shared awareness of the two countries’ high-ranking leaders, and not good for the two parties’ negotiation process on basic and long-lasting solutions to sea matters,” she added.

Vietnam wants to deal with disputes through nonviolent means and negotiations in accordance with international laws, especially the United Nations’ convention on the Law of Sea 1982 and the 2002 Declaration on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, Nga said.

Source: Tuoi Tre