August 24, 2020
Contact: Duy Hoang +1 202-596-7951
Over 80 organizations and community groups around the world signed a joint letter urging the United Kingdom, Japan, and India to denounce China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea.
The U.S. Department of State issued a statement on July 13 that declared China’s claims in the South China Sea as illegal. Ten days later, the Australian government sent a letter to the General Secretary of the United Nations. Australia emphasized the 2016 verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which determined that China did not have “historic rights” to the South China Sea and the “nine-dash line” indicating territorial sovereignty has no legal basis.
If the United Kingdom, Japan, and India join with the United States and Australia in speaking up about the South China Sea dispute, it will encourage other countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines to confront China’s territorial expansion in the region.
In addition to the community-led letter, a number of organizations in Japan will meet with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan on Monday, August 24 to present the joint letter and advocate for Japan’s rejection of China’s claims in the South China Sea.
View the entire joint letter here.
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The Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
First Secretary of State
King Charles Street
Whitehall, Westminster
London SW1A 2AH, United Kingdom
Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu
Minister for Foreign Affairs
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-8919, Japan
Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
Minister of External Affairs
E Block, Central Secretariat, New Delhi,
Delhi 110001, India
Re: Rejecting China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea
Dear Mr. Secretary and Ministers,
We, the undersigned organisations from around the world, urge you to reject China’s arbitrary claims in the South China Sea, following the declarations from the United States and Australian governments.
As maritime democracies, the United Kingdom, Japan, and India have a key role in safeguarding peace and stability within the region by reinforcing respect for international rule of law. China’s “nine-dash line” claim is clearly unlawful, violating the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This was further confirmed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s ruling in 2016 that China’s “nine-dash line” and “historic rights” claims are invalid.
It is critical that democratic powers stand firm against China’s aggression and encroachment. We call on your governments to join with the United States and Australia in formally dismissing China’s claims in the South China Sea–in order to establish a foundation for a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region.
Signed,
Australia:
- Vietnamese Community in Australia, Nguyen Van Bon, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/Australian Capital Territory Chapter, Le Cong, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/New South Wales Chapter, Nguyen Paul Huy, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/Northern Territory Chapter, Hoang Van Huu, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/Queensland Chapter, Bui Trong Cuong, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/South Australia Chapter, Nguyen Van Phung, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/Victoria Chapter, Nguyen Van Bon, President
- Vietnamese Community in Australia/Western Australia Chapter, Nguyen Anh Dung, President
- Vietnamese Women’s Association of Queensland/Australia, Nguyen Tu Huong Mai, President
- ARVN Veterans Association in Australia, Vo Minh Cuong, President
- ARVN Veterans Association in New South Wales, Vo Minh Cuong, President
- ARVN Veterans Association in South Australia, Ninh Duy Dinh, President
- Canberra Vietnamese School, Huyen Lu, Principal
- Hoa Hao Buddhism Congregation Queensland/Australia, Nguyen Thanh Nhuong, President
- Vietnam Sydney Radio, Doan Kim, Director
Canada:
- Free Vietnamese Canadian Community of Ottawa, Ha Quyen Nguyen, President
- Buddhist Temple in Edmonton Alera, Ven Thich Phap Hoa, President
- Canada-Hong Kong Link, Gloria Fung, President
- East Turkstan Association of Canada, Tuyghun Abduweli, President
- Federation for a Democratic China, Sheng Xue, President
- Phan Boi Chau Youth For Democracy Toronto, May Tran, President
- Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Toronto, Sunny Sonam, President
- ARVN Veterans Association in Ontario, Dong Van Minh, President
- Torontonian Hong Kong Action Group, Mimi Lee, President
- Voice Canada, Do Ky Anh, President
Europe:
- Federal Association of Vietnamese Refugees in Germany (representing 24 organisations in Germany), Hoang Thi My Lam, President
- Vietnamese Association Hjorring – Denmark, Pham Cuc, President
- Vietnamese Catholic Community in Switzerland, Rev. Pham Minh Van, Delegate
- Vietnamese Community in Belgium, Nguyen Duc Ho, President
- Vietnamese Community in Denmark, Nguyen Thi Kim Huong, President
- Vietnamese Community in Liège – Belgium, Le Huu Dao, President
- Vietnamese Community in the Netherlands, Nguyen Quang Ke, President
- Vietnamese Professionals Society – Belgium, Nguyen Mong Chau, President
- Vietnamese Refugee Association in Stavanger, Minh Michael Nguyen, President
- Vietnamese Association of Lausanne Switzerland, Tran Xuan Son, Delegate
- Association of Vietnamese Veteran and Former Civil Servant in the Netherlands, Tran Van Thang, President
- Vietnamese Veteran Association in Switzerland, Tran Huu Kinh, President
- Free Vietnamese Association of Liege – Belgium, Nguyen Xuan Thuan, President
- AfricaHongKongFrance (AHKF), Fabienne Engo and Alice Cheung, Delegates
- Taiwanese club, Hsiang-Pin, President
- Brotherhood For Democracy, Nguyen Van Dai, President
- Central Vietnamese Association in Europe, Nguyen Minh Chinh, President
- Civil Rights Movement, Pham Van Chinh, President
- French Student Association for Free Tibet, Yangkey, President
- Heritage Association of Moss Rygge – Norway, Tran Buu Tho, Delegate
- Peace Forum of Norway, Nguyen Thi Kim Huong, Delegate
- Vereinigung Der Vietnamesischen Katholiken in Deutschland, Pham Duy Vu, President
- Vietnam Radio In Europe, Dinh Kim Tan, President
- Vovinam Movement – Belgium, Vo Tan Tien, President
Japan:
- Antichicom, Nguyen Ha Kien Quoc, Spokeperson
- South China Sea Issue Consideration Council
- Vietnamese Association in Japan, Nguyen Phuong Khanh, President
United States:
- Vietnamese American Community of Massachusetts, Khang H Nguyen, Vice President
- Vietnamese American Womens League of Massachusetts and Vicinity, Diane Thu Diep Huynh, President
- Vietnamese Community In Houston and Vicinity , Tran Quoc Anh, President
- Vietnamese Community in Los Angeles, Nguyen Thanh Long, President
- Vietnamese Community in San Diego, Dang Kim Trang, President
- Vietnamese Community in Southern California, Bui Phat, President
- Vietnamese Community in Tampa Bay, Nguyen Tan Loc, President
- Vietnamese Federation of Labor Overseas , Duong Dai Hai, President
- Vietnamese Veterans Assistance Association of San Francisco, Nguyen Phu, President
- Vietnamese Pine Hill Association in Orlando, Pham Ngoc Cuu, President
- Viet Tan, Do Hoang Diem, Chairman ● Free Vietnamese Community of Hawaii, Paul Hanh Nguyen, President
- National Vietnamese American in the Washington D.C. Area, Dinh Cuong, President
- ARVN Air Force Association in Orlando, Nguyen Van Nhu, President
- ARVN Army Association in Orlando, Bui Quang Dung, President
- Association of New England Women for the Heritage and Freedom Flag of Vietnam, Thanh Ngoc, President
- Atlantic County NJ Vietnamese Community Center, Nguyen Tan Anh Phi, President
- Buddhist Meditation Center – San Jose, Ven. Thich Dang Phap, President
- Cao Dai International, Tuy Trinh, Vice President
- Coalition of the Republic of Vietnam Veterans Association, Doan Huu Dinh, President
- East Bay Vietnamese Women Association, Loan Do, President
- Federation of Former Republic of Vietnam National Police – Massachusetts Chapter, Nguyen Ngon, President
- Former Cadets of Da Lat Political War College – Northeast of USA, Le Son, President
- Former Vietnamese Political Mutual Assistance Association of East Bay, Tran Thanh, Vice President
- Former Vietnameses Political Prisoners Association in Stockton, Nguyen Viet Quy, President
- Former Vietnameses Political Prisoners Association in Houston, Nguyen Thuc, President
- Free Arts Literature Association in Orlando, Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, President
- Free Vietnam Journalists Club, Nguyen Van Hai, Representative
- Hoa Hao Buddhist Congregational San-Leon Chapter, Huynh Cong Tu, President
- Hung Vuong Foundation at San Diego, Tran Hoach, President
- Joint Anti-Communist Committee, Phan Ky Nhon, President
- Phan Boi Chau Youth Association, Christy Dang, President
- Republic of Viet Nam National Police in Orlando, Ho Van Tu, President
- Saigon Broadcasting Television Network, Truc Ho, CEO
- Tran Hung Dao Foundation, Phan Ky Nhon, President
- Vietnamese American Cultural and Educational Association of the Bay Area, Tran Thanh, Secretary
- Vietnamese American Seniors Association Corp of Greater Orlando, Huynh Thanh Nhon, President
