Vietnam has protested recent actions by China in the disputed South China Sea, saying they threaten peace in the region.
The commander of US forces in the Pacific, Adm. Harry Harris Jr., said Tuesday that China has installed new radar on Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly Islands, and media reports say Beijing has sent fighter jets to Woody Island in the Paracels, where it has deployed anti-aircraft missiles.
Asked about the reports, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said today that China is conducting activities that seriously violate Vietnamese sovereignty and threaten peace, security and freedom of passage in the region.
He said Vietnam is protesting the actions and urging China to act responsibly to maintain peace and stability.
