German press criticises China’s East Sea aggression

A number of Germany’s major newspapers have continued to run articles on China’s illegal act of placing the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The Der Spiegel newspaper in its May 13 publication quoted US Secretary of State John Kerry as saying that China has acted provocatively in disputes in the East Sea.

According the article, the Secretary of State held telephone talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to criticise Beijing’s aggressive deed and call on the country to solve the dispute by peaceful means in line with international law.

The article also inserted photos showing Chinese ships surrounding the rig ramming and firing water cannons at Vietnamese vessels and another on Vietnam’s international press conference on the situation.

Meanwhile, the Deutsch Welle newspaper also ran an article by Frank Sieren, who has lived in Beijing for 20 years.

In his article, Sieren wrote that tensions at sea between China and other countries have become more serious, with the placement of the rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone following territorial disputes with Japan and the Philippines.

Demonstrations by Vietnamese people worldwide to oppose China’s illegal act in the East Sea were also covered in several German newspapers.

On May 2, China stationed the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and 119 nautical miles from Vietnam’s Ly Son island.

China has so far deployed 86 vessels of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fishing ships.

The provocative acts by China, including the ramming and firing of water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard ships during their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters have left many Vietnamese ships damaged and nine fisheries surveillance officers injured.

East sea tension triggered by China is viewpoint of many countries

The US State Department has confirmed that China’s aggressive action, causing tensions in the East China Sea, is fully recognized by many countries around the world.

Addressing the US State Department’s daily press briefing on May 13, spokesperson Jen Psaki denied accusations from China saying that the US involvement in the latest developments in the East Sea has undermined peace and stability in the region.

In response to a question raised by a Chinese reporter that the Chinese Foreign Ministry assessed the tensions in the East Sea were not caused by China, alleging the US has exaggerated the story, Jen Psaki said that the US stands united with many other countries, confirming that China’s provocative acts are the cause of rising tensions in the East Sea.

She also said that in a telephone conservation between US State Secretary John Kerry with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on May 11, Kerry expressed grave concern about tensions in the East Sea, called on restraint and once again shared the view that China's actions are provocative.

During the phone talks with both Vietnamese and Chinese FMs, Kerry also expressed his view that disputes should be resolved by peaceful means, Jen Psaki said.

Mongolians strongly condemn China’s actions

The Vietnam-Mongolia Friendship Association has issued a statement protesting China’s recent acts.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam-Mongolia Friendship Association issued a statement related to China’s stationing of drilling rig Ocean-981 and escort vessels in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

In the statement, the association said that China’s unilateral actions have violated strongly international laws and threatened Vietnam’s sovereignty and security in the region.

China’s escalating actions towards Vietnam in the East Sea have also caused growing concern among its neighbouring countries.

Washington Post asserts Chinese aggression challenges world order

The Washington Post – the most widely circulated newspaper in Washington DC - on May 13 published a lead editorial asserting China’s giant drilling rig is a fundamental challenge to the world order.

Following are excerpts from the article:

“With a US$1 billion oil rig the size of a football field, China has literally laid down a new marker in its ambition to dominate the East Sea — and challenged President Obama’s “rebalancing” policy in Asia, only weeks after the president’s tour of the region.

The rig is about 130 miles off the coast of Vietnam, in waters that Vietnam claims as an exclusive economic zone under international law. China’s claim is more tenuous, but it is backed up with a flotilla of some 80 ships that for a week have engaged in a dangerous contest of ramming and water-hosing Vietnamese vessels.

An oil drilling rig of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)

(Photo: Reuters)

The message of the deployment is as simple as it is provocative: The regime of Xi Jinping intends to unilaterally assert China’s sovereignty over almost all of the East Sea without regard for the competing claims of five other countries. The rigis a fundamental challenge to the international order the United States has tried to preserve since the end of the Cold War.

China’s ambitions are described by an audacious map, dating from the pre-Communist erathat claims some 80 percent of the East Sea and a number of island chains. For years Beijing has talked with those countries and others in Southeast Asia about establishing a code of conduct for the sea, and it discussed the possibility of joint development of oil and gas with Vietnam a few months ago.

The move of the oil rig appears to reflect a calculation that a more aggressive policy will not meet meaningful resistance from China’s neighbors or the United States. The target of the initiative is Vietnam.

The Vietnamese leadership has responded rather vigorously: In addition to the several dozen ships that are sparring with China’s near the rig, and Vietnam’s Prime Minister condemned China at a summit of Southeast Asian nations.  

Vietnam could bring a case against China at an international tribunal under the Law of the Sea treaty. But Beijing is likely to shrug off that form of pressure. Most likely it will continue to act unilaterally in the region until it meets concerted resistance, whether diplomatic or military.”

China escalating tensions in East Sea: French expert

China is taking dangerous steps in the East Sea to scramble for marine territory on one hand, and intimidate Vietnam and the Philippines on the other, a French foreign policy expert has said.

The illegal placement of a Chinese drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf reflects a strategic continuation of recent Chinese acts, stated Professor Francois Godement, Director of the Asia and China Programme of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

He warned of the high risk of conflicts escalating in the region due to China’s recent acts, including its ships’ aggressive ramming of Vietnamese coast guard vessels.

It is clear that China has not respected international agreements and is ready to use force to solve territorial disputes, the professor noted.

Praising Vietnam’s restraint against China’s provocations, Godement said that in addition to connecting with more countries, Vietnam should seek legal solutions and try to avoid a military conflict.

He advised that Vietnam should build closer links with major partners such as the US, Japan, India, ASEAN and the EU to increase its diplomatic strength.

Indian professor: China pursues “salami slicing” strategy in East Sea

China has been pursuing what is known as 'salami slicing' strategy to occupy bit by bit the East Sea, an Indian professor has said.

According to Professor G. Vijayachandra Naidu, lecturer at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies under the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, the strategy began in 1974 when it first grabbed Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

Since then, China has been occupying bit by bit the East Sea, which is not only geostrategically a pivotal area in the region but also known to possess vast natural resources, especially energy, he said.

China has managed to occupy most parts of the East Sea over the past 40 years, but still claiming the so-called nine-dot line, which is extremely vague and ambiguous, he added.

“The present incident of Chinese ships ramming Vietnamese boats clearly in the territorial waters of Vietnam by indulging in oil exploration activities is serious,” Naidu noted, adding that the next move might be that with the pretext of defending its interests, China might even station naval warships.

The professor said it is essential that ASEAN takes a firm position unless China stops all these kinds of activities of forcibly occupying the islands bit by bit.

Vietnam in particular should hold meetings and consultations with political leaders and experts to raise the awareness and also to bring to the fore the facts of the dispute and to mobilise the support across all sections, he advised.

VN-France Friendship Association condemns China’s incursion

In an open letter to the Vietnamese embassy in France on May 13, the Vietnam-France Friendship Association (VFFA) strongly repudiated the foray by China into the territorial waters of Vietnam.

The incursion by China into the economic exclusive zone and continental shelf of Vietnam runs counter to international law, the VFFA said, expressing “deep concern” over the assault.

Disputes between Vietnam and China over sovereignty of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelagos must not be resolved militarily and should be amicably resolved in accordance with the precepts of international law, especially in a manner consistent with the basic tenets of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The press release called on China to extract its oil rig from Vietnam’s territorial waters and put an end to the wrongful episode, respecting commitments of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Additionally, the charitable association Amis France-Vietnam sent a telegram to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) and the Vietnamese Embassy in France strongly protesting China’s violation over Vietnam’s sovereignty.

Foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have expressed their deep concern about China’s serious violation in Vietnam’s territorial waters.

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on May 13 held a discussion on the recent developments in the East Sea with representatives from non-governmental organizations in Hanoi.

The event was attended by speakers and 300 delegates including representatives from organizations operating in Vietnam and domestic and foreign media agencies.

Speakers shared history, legal aspects as well as recent developments in the East Sea with special emphasis placed on China’s illegal installation of its drilling rig Ocean- 981 in Vietnam’s waters which is a serious violation of the sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.

This move is illegal and goes against international law and practices, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and the agreements reached by the two nations’ senior leaders.

Le Van Cuong, International Relations researcher said never before has the international community took action against China’s violation as swiftly as this time.

Infringement of China has negatively affected political trust and aspects of cooperation between the two countries, hurting the feeling of the Vietnamese people, raising regional and international public’s deep concern about threat to the environment of peace and stability in the region and the world.

Consequently, NGOs called on all concerned parties to exercise restraint, persistently promote negotiations on the basis of respect for international law and issue a statement asking the UN and ASEAN to take measures to put an end to the dispute in the East Sea as soon as possible.

China’s withdrawal of its drilling rig and escort vessels out of Vietnam’s waters will contribute to stabilizing regional and global peaceful environment.

Also at the meeting, many representatives and individuals signed their names in support of a statement on China’s illegal installment of its drilling rig and violation of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.