Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi has voiced his concerns over China’s establishment of districts to administer the Paracel (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago) and Spratly islands (Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago).

China’s announcement of establishing the so-called “Xisha district” (Vietnam’s Hoang Sa -Paracel - archipelago) and “Nansha district” (Vietnam’s Truong Sa - Spratly - archipelago) within the new “Sansha city” will escalate tensions in the region.

Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang on April 21 replied to reporters’ questions about the recent complex situation in some ASEAN countries’ territorial waters.

The people’s committee of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands district in Danang strongly protested China’s decision to establish the so-called Xisha and Nansha districts to govern over Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands.

Analyst Carl Thayer Carl Thayer , an Emeritus Professor at the University of New South Wales has called latest China's action in the East Sea "provocative," "illegal" and has no basis under international law.

Vietnam strongly protests the establishment of the so-called “Sansha city” and related acts as they seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, the spokesperson of Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said on April 19.

Vietnam urged relevant countries to strictly abide by the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS).

Life of people on Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago has been improved since national liberation in 1975 thanks to efforts from both the army and people on its islands.

This year's stormy season on the East Sea will begin later than previous years, with about 13 tropical storms and depressions expected, according to General Director of the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Tran Hong Thai.

US Senator Jim Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with three others on April 11 criticised the Chinese Coast Guard’s recent sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago waters.

Vietnam’s submissions of diplomatic notes protesting China’s illegal claims over East Sea is a normal action to express the country’s standpoint and protect its legitimate rights and interests.

The US Department of Defence issued a statement on April 9 expressing its deep concern over a Chinese coast guard's collision with and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel near Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on April 8 issued a statement expressing its deep concern over a China coast guard ship’s hitting and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the East Sea.

Dr. Gerhard Will, a German expert on the East Sea, has said that China should quit its militarisation in the East Sea and show its willingness and cooperation capacity in security and economy

The US on April 6 said it was "seriously concerned" about China's reported sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the East Sea.

A collection of 20 books on Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty has been released to the public.

Vietnam rejects any maritime claims of China that are based on the so-called “nine-dash line” in the East Sea, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang has said.

A meeting of ambassadors of East Asia Summit (EAS) member countries took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 13.

“Despite waves and storms, we the DK rig soldiers are still here. There is no fear among DK rig soldiers who are not afraid of thunderstorms.” 

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (FM) Pham Binh Minh had meetings with countries’ leaders and foreign ministers that took part in a ministerial-level open debate held by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in New York on January 9.