He was taking questions from reporters about last Friday’s media briefing held by Vietnamese authorities, during which those authorities distributed old diplomatic documents which they prove Xisha belongs to Vietnam. Qin Gang gave a robust rebuttal.

 

"Back in the mid-1970s, the Vietnamese authorities acknowledged and respected that fact that the Xishas are Chinese territory. In 1958, China declared an extension of the territorial waters’ demarcation line to 12 nautical miles, and the rule applies to every inch of Chinese territory, including the Xisha Islands. 10 days after the announcement, then Prime Minister Pham Van Dong met with then Premier Zhou Enlai, saying that his country acknowledged and respected the statement. For a long time, Vietnamese official documents, maps, and textbooks all acknowledged that the Xishas are China’s territory. In 1975, Vietnam went back on its word, and began to claim sovereignty over the Xishas. Last Friday’s press conference once again proves that Vietnam is twisting history and facts, and they go back on their word and act perfidiously. And the country has very low international credibility," he said.