HO CHI MINH: Vietnam has accused Beijing of direct encroachment on the disputed Nansha Islands at the South China Sea due to its frequent guarding in the guise of conducting marine reserves research.

But China’s Foreign Mi­nistry reiterated that China has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters nearing Vanguard Bank, thus rejecting Vietnam’s repeated claims that China’s research in the area has infringed on its sovereignty.