Vietnam has accused Beijing of direct encroachment on the disputed Nansha Islands at the South China Sea due to its frequent guarding in the guise of conducting marine reserves research. But China’s Foreign Mi­nistry reiterated that China has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters nearing Vanguard Bank, thus rejecting Vietnam’s repeated claims that China’s research in the area has infringed on its sovereignty. The operation of the Chinese side in its jurisdiction in the South China Sea is legal, reasonable and beyond reproach, Geng Shuang, spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press conference on Wednesday.

Vietnam accuses China of sea encroachment. (2019, September 20). The Manila Times, p. B12.