Vietnam expresses view on Chinese air balloon shot down over US airspace
Vietnam hopes the US and China will continue resolving disagreements via dialogue, a deputy spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said on February 9 regarding reports that a Chinese air balloon was spotted in the US airspace and shot down.
The Chinese balloon falls after being shot down by a US fighter jet off the coast of Carolina on February 4 afternoon. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam hopesthe US and China will continue resolving disagreements via dialogue, a deputyspokesman of the Foreign Ministry said on February 9 regarding reports that a Chinese air balloon was spotted in the US airspace andshot down.
Speaking at the Foreign Ministry’sregular press briefing, Deputy Spokesman Doan Khac Viet highlighted Vietnam’shope for the US and China to continue resolving disagreements via dialogue onthe basis of the United Nations Charter and international law, thuscontributing to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, anddevelopment.
“So far, we haven’t received anyreports by relevant agencies, the press, or people about high-altitude balloons spotted in Vietnam,” he added.
Earlier, the US media reported that aChinese balloon entered the US airspace and was shot down by a US fighter jet off the coast of Carolina, over the Atlantic Ocean, on February 4afternoon (local time).
On February 3, the Foreign Ministryof China said the unintended entry of the “airship” into US airspace was due to force majeure, and that theballoon is used for scientific research, mainly meteorological research.
“Due tothe influence of westerly winds and its limited self-control capability, the airshipdeviated from its intended course,” the Chinese ministry added./.
Countries should cooperate with one another and make active and practical contributions to the maintenance of peace, stability, and legal order at sea, Vice Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on December 10.
As a coastal country and a member of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, Vietnam believes that all activities of international cooperation, including maritime cooperation, need to be in line with international law, especially the UNCLOS, stated Foreign Ministry's Deputy Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, has affirmed that international law is the foundation of modern international order and world peace in his remarks at the first open debate of the UN Security Council this year.
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Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
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State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
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President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
The Chinese balloon falls after being shot down by a US fighter jet off the coast of Carolina on February 4 afternoon. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
