Peace organisations oppose China’s act

The Peace Committee and the Peace and Development Foundation of Ho Chi Minh City on May 14 strongly raised their voices against China for its illegal positioning an oil rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

The organisations said China’s placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig and deployment of many armed vessels and jets in Vietnam’s waters violates seriously Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the country’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

They further said the act also works against the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, high-ranking agreements between Vietnam and China, and the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Besides, the act has complicated the situation in the East Sea, causing instability in the region and negatively impacting the friendship between Vietnam and China, the organisations added.

From early May, China illegally placed the rig inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

China has to date sent a large number of vessels of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fishing ships.

Chinese forces rammed and fired water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard ships during their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters, leaving many Vietnamese ships damaged and nine fisheries surveillance officers injured.

Business community hits out at China’s illegal act

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on May 14 voiced its strong protest against China’s illegal placement of a drilling rig in the continental shelf of Vietnam.

The VCCI, the representative for the Vietnamese business community, described the act as intentional violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty, directly damaging the country’s important political and economic interests as well as maritime security and trade in the region.

The organisation demanded China respect international law and its related commitments, immediately stop illegal activities and withdraw rig Haiyan Shiyou-981 and its vessels from Vietnam’s waters without delay, and absolutely not take similar acts in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.

The VCCI called on the Vietnamese business circle to take substantial actions to support Vietnamese concerned forces and fishermen, who are determined to maintain their missions to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and legitimate interests in the East Sea.

It also asked the Chinese business circle and the international business community to raise their voice to urge the Chinese government to act with responsibility to ensure stability, security and normal operations of maritime activities and trade in the region.

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 a large number of vessels of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fishing ships.

Chinese ships repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard ships during their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters, damaging many Vietnamese ships and leaving nine fisheries surveillance officers injured.-

International friends denounce China's illegal action: paper

Like Vietnamese people at home and abroad, foreign residents who are working and living in the central city of Da Nang are protesting against China’s unilateral positioning of the Haiyang Shiyou- 981 drilling rig in Viet n am’s waters, according to a local newspaper.

The Da Nang Today Online on May 13 quoted Chairman of the Care the People ONLUS, Enzo Falcone, as saying that many people around the world are now enthusiastically supporting Vietnam.

The Italian man, who lived in Vietnam for 20 years, added that the international public is expressing their great respect for Viet n am because it is striving to resolve the conflicts in the East Sea through diplomatic negotiations and by peaceful means, regardless of China’s provocative actions.

Meanwhile, Philip Overton, a volunteer at an English centre under the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations, expressed his strong discontent about China’s intentional infringement of Viet n am’s sovereignty over its waters.

According to the newspaper, he emphasised that China might face significant losses, especially the degradation of its prestige in the world arena and in Vietnam in particular, due to its current worthless action.

He expressed his strong belief that the Vietnamese people will stop China’s intrusive actions because every resident possesses the traditional indomitable spirit and a high sense of responsibility for safeguarding their country’s sovereignty.

Union urges continued fishing activities in East Sea

The Vietnam Fisheries Trade Union (VFTU) has urged its members and domestic fishermen to continue to go fishing in the country’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea.

In its statement, VFTU described China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 and over 80 ships in Vietnam’s waters as counter to international law and practices, seriously violating Vietnam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

China has hampered normal activities of fisheries trade unions and fishermen in the central region, it voiced, requesting that the Chinese rig and ships must be withdrawn from the area without delay.

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.-

OVs in UK protest against China’s East Sea violation

Vietnamese expatriates in the UK strongly condemned China’s East Sea violation and asked China to remove the giant drilling rig Ocean-981 out of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

At a meeting in London on May 14, Son Thanh, President of the Vietnamese People Association (VPS) in the UK, called on overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in the UK to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government in protecting national territory and sovereignty and carry out practical activities to support soldiers garrisoned on in Vietnam’s sea and islands.

The VPS and other Vietnamese organisations in the UK plan to stage a peaceful demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy in London on May 18 to show their protest against China’s violation of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The association will launch a fund-raiser to support island soldiers and fishermen affected by China’s recent provocation.

Vietnamese in Bulgaria oppose China’s East Sea violation

Vietnamese expatriates in Bulgaria took to the street on May 13 protesting against China’s illegal placement of its giant drilling rig Ocean-981 deep within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

In a five-point statement released the same day, the Vietnamese Association in Bulgaria affirmed by installing the rig in the waters of a sovereign nation, China seriously

violates international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

The Chinese move is a serious threat to peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea, said the statement.

The Vietnamese Association expressed deep concern about China’s illegal act and voiced their support for the Vietnamese government’s appropriate, necessary measures to defend the country’s legitimate interests and rights.

They supported Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s speech at the recent 24th ASEAN Summit in Myanmar and the summit’s Chairman Statement.

They were also in agreement with a statement by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, calling for measures to ease

tensions and refrain from unilateral acts detrimental to peace and stability in the region.

The association demanded China immediately remove its oil rig from Vietnam’s territorial waters, respect the rights and interests of coastal nations in line with the UNCLOS, and fully observe regulations on maritime safety and security in the East Sea.

They called on international organisations and individuals, as well as peace-loving people worldwide to condemn China’s serious violation and support Vietnam’s request.

Vietnamese in Laos oppose China’s sovereign violation

Nearly 1,000 Vietnamese people in Laos gathered at a meeting in capital Vientiane on May 14 to reprimand China for positioning an oil rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Ambassador Nguyen Manh Hung said China’s placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig and deployment of many armed vessels in Vietnam’s waters from early May is particularly serious and dangerous.

He stressed that China’s move violates Vietnam’s waters and runs counter to bilateral agreements between the two countries on solving sea issues by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which China itself is a signatory.

The act also seriously infringes the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) agreed between ASEAN countries and China, and directly jeopardises peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea, Hung added.

He also underlined Vietnam’s wish to settle disputes with neighbouring countries in a peaceful manner.

The diplomat cited Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s speech at the 24th ASEAN Summit in Myanmar on May 11, in which he said that Vietnam always attaches special importance to maintaining and strengthening its friendly relations with China.

However, national territory is sacred, and Vietnam vehemently denounces acts of infringement and will resolutely protect its national sovereignty and legitimate interests in conformity with international law, the speech read.

At the meeting, representatives of the Vietnamese people in Laos expressed their deep concern over the current East Sea situation and protested China’s act.

They also hoped the Party and State of Vietnam will take many measures safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.

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 deployed 86 ships of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fisheries ships backed by rescue, transport, fuel and fishing ships.