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.
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The HD-981 oil rig is located deep in
the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam
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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.
Source: VNA/VNN
