China’s oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981,
illegally stationed in Vietnamese waters, was probably preparing to move to a
new position on June 17 as it lowered its two cranes, according to Vietnam News
Agency reporters at the site.
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Chinese ship defend the rig
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The Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance fleet has intensified its
monitoring of the area where the rig is illegally standing.
Unusually, Chinese ships approached Vietnamese vessels from
directions different from those during previous days, while continuing to
deliberately disrupt them from approaching close to the rig.
According to the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance force, China
on June 17 maintained 136 ships, including five battleships, to surround the
rig. They kept on circling and standing ready to ram Vietnamese vessels, while
approaching them to a distance of 30-50m.
In addition, Chinese fishing ships escorted by a coast guard
ship formed a line to block and disturb Vietnamese fishing boats undertaking
their normal catching activities at about 30 nautical miles from the rig.
At the beginning of May, China illegally dispatched the rig
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, 80 miles
deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China has expanded its scale of
operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude
and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep
inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Source: VNA
