VietNamNet Bridge – The international community has continually expressed concern over China’s illegal placement of Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Vietnam’s waters.

According to Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the international press, the US Department of State affirmed on May 13 that many countries have expressed concern over China’s provocative acts, which have triggered tensions in the East Sea.

At the department’s daily press briefing in Washington, spokesperson Jen Psaki denounced China’s accusation that the US has emboldened some countries to take provocative actions.

“The unilateral action appears to be part of a broader pattern of Chinese behaviour to advance its claims over disputed areas in a manner that, in our view, undermines peace and stability in the region”, she said.

Psaki also said that US Secretary of State John Kerry had a telephone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on May 11, during which he expressed his concern over tensions in the East Sea and called for restraint and once again shared the view that China’s acts were provocative.

The Australian Ministry for Foreign Affairs released a statement on May 14, expressing deep concerns about developments in the East Sea, which have heightened tensions in the region. Australia lauded the Chair’s Statement from the 24th ASEAN Summit on the current situation in the East Sea and called on all concerned parties to restrain from provocative acts, seek measures to ease tension and conform to international law, as well as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

It also urged China and ASEAN member nations to reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) as soon as possible.

The Mongolia – Vietnam Friendship Society also issued a statement protesting against Beijing’s illegal act. The organisation voiced concern that China’s unilateral acts in the East Sea have violated international law and posed a threat to Vietnam’s sovereignty and regional security. The escalating actions of China have caused deep concern to its neighbours.

In another move, the Vietnam – UK Network expressed concern over the escalated tension in the East Sea and applauded the May 8 statement by the European Commission’s spokesperson and Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire on recent developments in the East Sea.

The organisation urged the parties to conform to international law, take measures to ease tension and take no unilateral actions which could threaten regional peace and stability.

It also called all sides to seek a settlement through dialogue and other peaceful means in the spirit of friendship and co-operation, in accordance with international law, and particularly the UNCLOS and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), which was inked between China and the ASEAN.

Many newspapers in Germany published articles about China’s illegal oil rig placement in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Der Spiegel quoted US State Secretary John Kerry, saying that China had acted provocatively in East Sea tension and that peaceful measures were needed for the current escalating situation.

The article said that many confrontations will arise as China claims ownership to most of the East Sea. It also included photos of a Vietnamese vessel rammed by a Chinese ship and China’s water cannon attack on a Vietnamese ship.

The standing committee of Overseas Vietnamese in Angola, and the India-Vietnam Friendship Association released statements to oppose China’s illegal acts in the East Sea and request China to immediately withdraw the oil rig and vessels from Vietnam’s waters.

Executive Committee Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party Shii Kazuo criticised the oil rig placement which was a unilateral act and infringed the DOC. He wanted all sides to take no actions to escalate tension and resolve the matter via diplomatic channels in accordance with the DOC.

The Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association (JVFA) in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture sent a letter to Chinese ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua to express a wish for a peaceful solution to disputes in the East Sea.

Source: Nhan Dan