China on June 5 sent two more military ships to defend the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981, which is illegally placed in Vietnam’s waters, according to the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department.

During the day, the Chinese side maintained about 115 ships, including up to 40 coast guard boats, 30 cargo vessels and tugboats, about 45 fishing vessels and six military ships, together with a reconnaissance aircraft, reported the department.

Chinese ships also projected powerful lights at Vietnam’s vessels during the night so that other ships could fire water cannons at them.

From June 4-6, at least five Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance ships were attacked with water cannons, one of them was seriously damaged, reported the department.

However, Vietnamese ships still persistently operated at about 10 nautical miles from the rig to protest and demand China remove it from Vietnam’s waters.

Meanwhile, despite the Chinese aggression, Vietnamese fishermen continued to conduct their catching activities in their traditional fishing grounds in Vietnam’s waters, 25-28 nautical miles from the illegally-stationed rig.

At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 miles deep inside Vietnam ’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

On May 27, China moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 22 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 36 seconds east longitude, 25 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island in Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago and 23 nautical miles east-northeast from the old location.

On June 3, the oil rig moved yet again to another new position, at 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude. The new position is still completely within Vietnam’s continental shelf.

VNA/VNN