Letter dated 22 February J 983 from the representative of China to the Secretary-General I have the honour to enclose herewith a statement by the New China News Agency (Xinhua) (annex I) in connection with a statement dated 12 February 1983 by the Vietnamese authorities (S//56/21 and an earlier statement by a spok.esman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China (annex II). ·Tin;ulatcd under lhc uouhlc ~ymhol A/38/97-S/15624. [ Ori,:inal: Chi11ese/E11,:lisl,] (25 February /WU] I should be grateful if you would arrange for the circulation of this letter and its enclosures as an official document of the General Assembly and of the Security Council. (Signec/) LIN<i Qing l'c'/'1/l<lll<'//t Rc·prc•sc•111a1il·c; ,if' the l'c•opft•',\. Jfrp11hli<' ,if' China lo //IC' U11itc•cl Nations ANNEX I Statement of 18 February 1983 by New China News Agency The co-operation between Chinese and foreign companies in exploring oil and natural gas in the continental shelf of China's territorial sea is entirely a matter within Chinese sovereignty with which no countries have any right to interfere. A recent statement by the Vietnamese authorities cannot block China's justifiable action in exploring resources in its territorial sea. The statement by the Viet Nam News Agency slanderously at­ tacked Chinese and foreign companies' joint exploration and exploitation of petroleum in the Yingge Sea of the Beibu (Tonkin) Gulf as "violating Vietnamese sovereignty". It also said that those foreign companies co-operating with China should bear "all the consequences" arising from their actions. These brazen attacks and threats are based on the expansionist stand of the Vietnamese au­ thorities. In the "Declaration on the baseline of Viet Nam's territorial waters" issued on 12 November 1982, the Vietnamese authorities laid claims not only to the Xisha and Nansha Islands which have 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a statement by the Chinese government regarding its territorial rights and the exploration of natural resources in its territorial sea. The text mentions the cooperation between Chinese and foreign companies in exploring oil and natural gas, and responds to a statement by the Vietnamese authorities that claims these actions are violating Vietnamese sovereignty.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, International trade