China’s assertiveness in the sea has caused deep anxiety for Vietnam, which regards territorial sovereignty as a sacred principle, and emboldened the government to promote claims over the disputed Spratly and Paracel archipelagos more aggressively. Son, are trying to marshal their own historical records — even if they may have little power to dissuade China. International arbitration over territorial sovereignty can only proceed if both parties agree, analysts say, and China has shown no interest in that. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyAmong Vietnamese academics who study the government’s territorial claims in what it calls the East Vietnam Sea, Dr. Son said, he would photocopy maps that highlighted Vietnamese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Source: New York Times November 25, 2017 22:41 UTC