Vietnam and China have been involved in a long-running territorial dispute over a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $3 trillion of commerce passes each year.

Vietnam has accused a Chinese survey ship and its escorts of violating its sovereignty, and called on Beijing to remove the vessels from its waters.

Vietnam and China have been involved in a long-running territorial dispute over a potentially energy-rich stretch in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $3 trillion of commerce passes each year.

"Vietnam demands that China immediately remove the survey ship Xiang Yang Hong 10, Chinese coast guard ships, and fishing vessels out of Vietnam's waters," foreign ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said in a government statement on Thursday.

"Vietnam has made contact with China several times and implemented measures in accordance with international law and Vietnamese law to ensure lawful and legitimate rights and interests of Vietnam," Hang added.

The statement also called on the international community to join Vietnam's efforts in maintaining order, peace, and security in the South China Sea and contributing to the development of the two countries' mutual interests.

Last week, Vietnam criticised recent conduct by a Chinese research ship in the same area of the Southeast Asian country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

China has said that scientific research in areas under its jurisdiction is a normal activity. The East Asian country claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, based on what it says are old maps, including waters that lie within Vietnam's EEZ and four other Southeast Asian countries.