Vietnam disputes China's 'proof' of Paracel ownership

BEIJING, March 26 Kyodo Vietnam on Friday dismissed claims by Chinese archaeologists that their underwater discovery of ancient artifacts near the Paracel Islands proves Chinese sovereignty over the disputed area. ''The discovery of Chinese artifacts in Japan does not prove that Japan belongs to China,'' said Bui Suu Ans, political councilor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing.


''Chinese artifacts have been found in many parts of the world, but that does not mean that the sites where they are found are part of China's territory.'' The state-run China Daily reported Friday that Zhang Wei, head of the underwater archaeology department at the Chinese Museum of Natural History, said the discovery of artifacts near the islands proves Chinese were the islands' earliest inhabitants. Zhang said divers found 1,500 relics dating from 907 among the wrecks of merchant ships, during a 39-day expedition ending in January to the islands lying between Vietnam and China's Hainan Island, the newspaper reported. China has claimed sovereignty over the Paracel Islands since it sent military ships to ''liberate'' them in 1974 during the dying stages of the Vietnam War. On March 9, Vietnam said the Paracel Islands were an indisputable part of its territory, following reports that China was building a military base and runway there. Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his Vietnamese counterpart Le Kha Phieu agreed to settle territorial disputes ''at an early date'' during Kha Phieu's February visit to China. China, however, is continuing with efforts to bolster its sovereignty claim by turning the largest of the islands, Yongxing, into a seaside resort, complete with fishing, diving and pleasure boat tours.

Asian Political News, March 29, 1999