Vietnam Protests China, Philippines Activity In Disputed Waters

By Francesca Stevens

May 3, 2025 (Bloomberg) —Vietnam lodged a formal protest against China and the Philippines for activities that it said violate its sovereignty in the Spratly Islands area, in a move that underscores the persistent tensions over contested waters in the South China Sea.

Vietnam requires relevant parties to “refrain from actions that complicate the situation” and to comply with international law, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said Saturday, according to a post on a government website. She also called on the parties to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. 

Hang was responding to a question about the activities of China and the Philippines in certain disputed areas in the waters near the Spratly Islands. 

China in late April asserted sovereignty over an uninhabited reef in the South China Sea by planting a flag. Just a few days later, the Philippines’ military and coast guard personnel carried out an operation in Sandy Cay to reinforce Manila’s “routine and lawful exercise of maritime domain awareness and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea,” the term it uses for waters within its exclusive economic zone.

Read more: USS Russell Challenges Beijing’s Claims To Spratly Island Navigation

China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, where it has built numerous artificial islands. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan claim parts of the same maritime area, and have sparred with China over where the boundaries fall.

© 2025 Bloomberg L.P.

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