Seen in the context of its actions over the past half century, there is nothing surprising about China’s deployment of an illegal rig in Vietnam’s waters. This is just one more notch in the ratchet Beijing has wielded to "monopolize the East Sea".

Jakarta Post has published an article by the Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia against the arguments by the chargé d’affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, for China's sovereignty over Hoang Sa Archipelago (Paracel Islands) of Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The nation needs a common way to unite all patriotic Vietnamese at home and abroad, and to inspire people to confront the threats to the country’s peace and development.

 The Vietnam Fisheries Society has made strong statements in opposition to China's aggressive actions towards Vietnamese fishermen in the East Sea, demanding compensation for a sunken fishing boat.

 China on May 28 deployed four fight jets around the new position of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981, which illegally stands in Vietnam’s waters, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Fishery Surveillance Department.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 130,000 people have signed an online petition asking the United States to impose sanctions on China for its illegal deployment of the HD-981 drilling rig in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese firms trading with China should have a rethink to reduce the ballooning trade deficit and the massive dependence on the neighbouring country, entrepreneurs told a forum held in HCM City last week.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam needs to do everything it can, as quickly as it can, to avoid economic reliance on China. This is the only path Vietnam can follow to be in control of its destiny and ensure its economic security.

 VietNamNet would like to introduce the final part of the talks with Dr. Ngo Huu Phuoc, Head of the International Law Faculty of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law.

 VietNamNet Bridge – China has made its claim about a nine-dash line that stretches along the coastline of a number of countries in the East Sea, covering up to 80 percent of the sea’s area.

 VietNamNet Bridge – China’s illegal installation of its drilling rig Ocean-981 deep within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf has sparked outrage among Vietnamese and peace-loving people worldwide.

VietNamNet - In terms of politics and international diplomacy, China's behavior has egregiously violated the DOC that China and ASEAN signed in 2002, says Dr. Ngo Huu Phuoc, head of the International Law Faculty of the HCMC University of Law.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The White House said on May 22 the US would support Vietnam’s use of legal action against China to settle a territorial dispute following China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in the East Sea.

 Both leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines have voiced their strong support for the Vietnamese and Philippines governments’ common stance towards settling East Sea disputes peacefully in line with international law.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Chinese administration, when launching its illegal acts in the East Sea, has been supported by its media, a special force that helps distort events in the region and fool people.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A Samsung Vietnam official has asserted that its $2 billion project in Thai Nguyen will continue and Samsung does not intend to move its factories from China to Vietnam.

 National Assembly (NA) deputies have voiced their concern and objections to China’s illegal positioning of a drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, demanding China immediately withdraw its rig from Vietnam’s waters.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam is never the first to use military means and would never unilaterally start a military confrontation unless the country is forced to take self-defense actions.

 On May 21, China maintained the presence of 95 ships of various kinds, including a number of big tugboats, around its Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig which is illegally placed in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

 The US opposes acts of coercion, intimidation and non-diplomacy in resolving territorial disputes.