Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lê Hải Bình had to respond to press queries about a collision with a Chinese fishing vessel that caused a Vietnamese boat to sink in waters around the Paracel Islands.
Mr Le Hai Binh, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "Our agencies have worked seriously to verify the facts related to this incident as soon as we heard the news. We want to underline that the waters surrounding the Paracel islands are within the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam. The Paracel waters have been Vietnam's traditional fishing grounds for years.
Regarding the arrest of 33 Vietnamese fishermen in Brunei, the spokesperson said Brunei Embassy in Vietnam was working with agencies in Brunei to return two adolescent fishermen back to Vietnam".
In terms of the 31 fishermen arrested in Brunei, Mr Le Hai Binh also stated that they still remain in good health. 21 of them will be released on July 16th, 8 on July 29th. The boat owner and captain will be out on September 29th. The Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei will work closely with Brunei's authorities to maintain the ship and return the fishermen to Vietnam.
The spokesperson also addressed the issue of Vietnamese national Ngo Minh Hieu who was found guilty of massive fraud in the US through ID theft.
"Vietnamese representatives in the US are working with the host authorities for more information about this case. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested permission from US authorities to visit our national and ensure his rights are being protected", said Mr Le Hai Binh.
At the press conference, Le Hai Binh also offered information about Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's upcoming official visit to Thailand on 23rd of July.
