In an effort to defend and uphold its sovereign rights, Vietnam’s foreign ministry released a map on Friday that delineates its baseline claim in the Gulf of Tonkin, where it shares a maritime border with China.In the South China Sea, where China, Vietnam, and other nations have some competing claims, baselines—which are used to establish boundaries to territorial waters and exclusive economic zones—are a delicate topic.
From the offshore province of Quang Ninh to the province of Quang Tri, the ministry marked a 14-point line on a map.
According to a statement from the ministry, the baseline “creates additional legal basis to protect and enforce Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, serving economic development, marine management, and promoting international cooperation.”
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According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2000 Agreement on the Delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin between China and Vietnam, the baseline serves as the foundation for establishing the limits and extent of Vietnam’s maritime zones.
