The National Assembly
Committee for External Relations has sent a letter to the Inter-Parliamentary
Union (IPU), informing about China’s violation of Vietnamese sovereignty in the
East Sea, and proposed the IPU and other international organisations support
Vietnam in settling the dispute peacefully.
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| Vietnamese people in Canada took to the street protesting China's illegal oil rig placement |
In the June 6 letter to
the IPU President and General Secretary, the committee said since May 1 China,
backed by hundreds of vessels, including warships and aircraft, positioned its
floating drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive
economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea.
China’s move is a serious
violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction;
international law, including 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), as well as the high-level agreement on basic principles guiding
the settlement of maritime disputes between Vietnam and China.
The move is also
detrimental to friendship, solidarity and neighbourliness of the two countries’
peoples.
Peace, stability,
security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea is
being seriously threatened, the committee stressed.
The National Assembly and
people of Vietnam are indignant and determined to struggle to defend their
sovereignty. Vietnam has exercised restraint, shown goodwill, and taken
peaceful measures in accordance with international law asking China to withdraw
its oil rig and escort forces from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and
continental shelf.
China has failed to
respond to Vietnam’s legitimate request, but continued its aggressive actions,
by using its force to intimidate and attack Vietnamese law enforcement boats,
injuring sailors and damaging their property. It even sank a Vietnamese law
fishing boat.
The committee said
Vietnamese people understand and respect the noble value of peace,
independence, freedom and sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the
country. Vietnam will resolutely struggle to defend national sovereignty.
The Committee thanked countries,
parliaments and peace-loving people worldwide for criticising China’s dangerous
act and supporting Vietnam’s struggle for justice.
It proposed that
inter-parliamentary organisations of regions and the world voice stronger
support for Vietnam’s just stance, take necessary measures to demand China to
abide by international law, respect Vietnam's sovereignty, and immediately
withdraw its oil rig and escort forces from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone
and continental shelf.
Source: VOV
