China: Vietnamese Maritime Law illegal and invalid

The Committee of Foreign Affairs of the CPPCC has written to External Vietnam Committee of the Vietnamese National Assembly on China's stance on the Vietnamese Maritime Law, passed on Thursday.

The message reaffirms China's claim of indisputable sovereignty over the Xisha Islands, Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. It also characterized vietnam's actions as infringing on China's sovereignty, illegal and invalid. It went on to say that Vietnam's unilateral action violated the consensus reached by both leaders, as well as the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The committee said China hopes Vietnam would respect China's sovereignty and immediately rectify its mistakes. It also asks Vietnam to strive to maintain the Sino-Vietnamese comprehensive strategic partnership and friendly relations between the two national committees.