The Indonesian authorities, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Embassy in Jakarta, completed procedures to repatriate 10 Vietnamese fishermen on January 21.

 Vietnamese organisations in France issued a statement on January 18 to condemn China’s pilot flights to the illegally-built airstrip on Chu Thap (Fiery Cross) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam has requested the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) correct the Sanya flight information region (FIR) map – which includes Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

 Da Nang's Border Guard Force found 264 arrivals of Chinese ships violating the Viet Nam's sea sovereignty in 2015, Colonel Le Van Phuc, the force's commander, said in a year-end meeting yesterday.

 Indonesia on December 23 repatriated 42 Vietnamese fishermen who had been arrested when fishing in the archipelago nation’s exclusive economic zone.

Typhoon Melor on early December 16 entered the East Sea to become the fifth storm hitting Vietnam so far this year, after traversing the central Philippines, said the National Centre for Hydrometereological Forecasting.

VietNamNet Bridge - As Vietnam’s sea environment has shown signs of pollution and degradation, scientists have urged serious measures to protect the environment during seaport development.

 Vietnam requests that Taiwan (China) immediately end its actions that violate Vietnam’s sovereignty and not to repeat such violations, said Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh on December 13.

 Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said defence cooperation is a pillar and an inseparable part of Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership and wished to bring the cooperation to the next level in the future.

The Region 4 navy soldiers will never forget the New Year Eve party they left unfinished as they had to respond to an emergency on Sinh Ton Dong Island of Truong Sa Archipelago when the 2014 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse, neared.

 The Hoang Sa district in central Da Nang City broke ground on an exhibition centre dedicated to the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago on December 7.

 Vietnam strongly objects to the use of or threat to use force against its boats and vessels, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh said on November 27.

Doubts of the possibility of creating a modern Maritime Silk Road that passes through the East Sea continue to dog experts concerned by on-going territorial disputes in the region.

Some researchers previously showed objective viewpoints in their studies, but now they write articles supporting China’s illegal claims in the East Sea, said Tran Huu Thuy Giang, PhD student at the Southern Cross University, Australia.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration has ruled that it has sufficient jurisdiction over the case of the Philippines against China in the East Sea disputes. The next hearing starts today in The Hague. VietNamNet talks with Dr. Zachary Abuza.

Thorny matters stemming from the East Sea situation relating to on-the-spot developments, military strategies and international law application were raised during an international conference held in Vung Tau on November 23-24.

China is very weak in soft power. Apart from its economic clout, China doesn't have much attraction, said Prof. Bonnie Glaser, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in talks with VietNamNet’s Lan Anh.

The global situation’s impacts on East Sea disputes and recent developments related to the East Sea issue were analysed at an international conference in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau on November 23.

 US President Barack Obama said on November 21 that countries should stop building artificial islands and militarising their claims in the East Sea.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Constituents in 28 provinces and cities in Vietnam have proposed to the government to quickly complete legal procedures to sue China in international court to maintain Vietnam’s sovereignty.