Dieu Cam, a reader,
comments on China’s illegal placement of oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in
Vietnam’s waters since May 1. Beijing has deployed a large number of ships and
aircraft to guard the unlawful rig despite demands from Vietnam that it
withdraw the platform from Vietnamese waters. The following article was written
in Vietnamese and has been translated into English.
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The illegaly China's oil rig and vessel in Vietnam's waters
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The fact that China has placed oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in the
Vietnamese exclusive economic zone for exploratory drilling operations on the
Vietnamese continental shelf has become a major issue, causing waves of strong
responses not only from Vietnam but from across the globe.
It is likely that Chinese
citizens are also concerned about the issue. Let’s imagine what ordinary
Chinese people may be thinking about it:
Since Xi Jinping,
President of the People's Republic of China [who is also General Secretary of
the Communist Party of China] took office, Chinese people often hear him talk
about the “Chinese dream:” that peaceful development is the best strategic
option for China.
It is not clear what his
dream entails, but the dream of an ordinary person is very simple: peace at
home and abroad so that one can feel secure to do business to make a living.
Regarding what is called
“strategic chance,” something often mentioned by Chinese leaders, we ordinary
people can vaguely understand that there are now many advantageous conditions
for a “peaceful rise” and China should “bide its time” to meet its long-term
goal of developing into one of the leading countries in the world.
But it is understandable
that the leaders have acted against their word, causing trouble in the waters
of another country, thus risking China’s world status.
In addition, since
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang began to run
national affairs, many internal issues have needed to be settled, such as the
economic slowdown, the “deep reform” in its early stages, the discontent among
people regarding the widening income gap, serious environmental pollution,
anti-corruption campaigns, and the bombings and stabbing sprees that have not
only taken place in Xinjiang but also in Tiananmen…
It is understandable why
Chinese leaders have not centered their efforts on settling practical internal
issues, but they have caused trouble outside of their country. Or perhaps those
in charge wish to create a “greater issue” so that ordinary Chinese citizens
forget about the difficulties of daily life?
In addition, you Chinese
leaders have affirmed many times that China does not pursue a dream of
expansionism and hegemony. Chinese people were once oppressed themselves, so
they can clearly understand how shameful it is.
A Chinese proverb says,
“Don’t do to others what you would not want them to do to you,” which means a
person who does not wish to be suppressed should not suppress others.
However, the drilling rig
issue has destroyed all efforts that have been made to persuade others that
China doesn’t wish to declare itself the king of Asia.
Whether we like it or
not, we have to live along with other nations. And when living with others, we
must abide by common laws. What would the world be like if every nation applied
its own law of the jungle?
First of all, our act has
worried our neighboring countries. We ordinary Chinese people were very happy
when Chinese leaders convened a neighborly diplomatic conference in which you
declared your point of view: being friendly with neighbors, living in security
alongside neighbors, and becoming prosperous along with neighbors.
However, we Chinese have
caused trouble and tension and ruined the cooperative relations with neighbor
after neighbor.
And in response to our
wrongful and perverse acts related to the rig, ASEAN countries had to gather to
express their worry about insecurities in the region and the possibility that
each neighboring country would in turn fall victim to us someday.
In addition, our
“excessive decisive attitude” has triggered a new wave of costly arms race in
the region.
We ordinary Chinese
people do not understand why China often picks a quarrel with Vietnam, which,
like China, pursues the goal of building socialism, and with which China has
offered to build a good neighborhood, good friendship, good partnership, and
good rapport.
Some Chinese officials
consider Vietnam to be an ingrate and allege that Vietnam pursues its scams…
However, it is clear that
over the past thousands of years, Vietnam has never invaded China, while many
Chinese dynasties have invaded Vietnam.
More recently, on the one
hand China helped Vietnam fight invaders but on the other, it used Vietnam’s
problems as a means for exchange between China and other powerful countries.
China even took advantage
of Vietnam when it was busy with the resistance war, using force to attack and
occupy Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, which China calls Xisha
Islands.
China caused a war with
Vietnam but haughtily said, “China taught Vietnam a lesson,” and even occupied
a group of islands belonging to Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago that
it calls Nansha Islands.
In the East Vietnam Sea,
Vietnam has never oppressed China, while we drew the nine-dash line covering
most of the sea and have made numerous troubles for them. We should wonder:
“How would we feel if a country did the same to us?”
China should see reason
and listen to reason, and think about the gain and the loss. We shouldn’t place
ourselves in a situation in which we will lose a large cause over small issues.
We ordinary Chinese
citizens hope you leaders rethink your actions before its too late.
We do not expect all
Chinese people to think the same way, but we are sure that every Chinese person
with good sense and a solid conscience will contemplate the above issues for
the greater good of China and its people.
Source: tuoitrenews
