The Vietnamese delegation
to the United Nations, World Trade Organisation and other international
organisations in Geneva, sent a diplomatic note on June 5 to the permanent
representative missions of countries in Geneva and Swiss-based international organisations.
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| A Chinese ship changed its direction and was prepared to ram Vietnamese boats |
The messages provided an
update on developments regarding China’s illegal placement of its oil rig and
provocative actions in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of
Vietnam.
Over the past month since
China illegally positioned its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, it
has repeatedly deployed hundreds of ships, including warships, and military
jets to the rig to harass, provoke and attack Vietnamese law enforcement
vessels and fishing boats that are legally operating there, the document said.
The actions by China have
injured sailors and law enforcement officers of Vietnam, damaged tens of
Vietnamese ships and caused economic losses to Vietnam.
In a particularly serious
escalation, on May 26 a Chinese vessel took the inhumane action of sinking
Vietnamese fishing boat DNa 90152 that was operating in its traditional fishing
ground near Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago of Vietnam.
The diplomatic note one
again demanded China immediately and unconditionally withdraw the rig from
Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, stop all illegal
actions, obstructions and provocations against Vietnamese ships there, strictly
punish culprits and compensate for losses they caused to the Vietnamese side.
The Vietnamese delegation
resolutely rejected false and fabricated allegations that China had cited in
its delegation’s diplomatic note delivered to international organisations and
permanent representative delegations in Geneva on June 2.
Based on legal and
historical documents, the Vietnamese diplomatic note attested Vietnam’s
sovereignty over Hoang Sa and completely rebuffed China’s illegal and
groundless claims of sovereignty over the archipelago.
It stated that the rig’s
installation and provocative actions by China in the Vietnamese waters are
serious violations of the sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction of
Vietnam and threaten peace, stability and maritime security in the region.
The diplomatic note
highlighted policies and goodwill of Vietnam in pursuing peaceful solutions and
on the basis of international law and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) with China, as well as other concerned
countries.
It called on countries and
international organisations to continue criticising the wrongful acts of China
and support the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures and
on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Late last month, Vietnam’s
permanent mission to the United Nations sent a letter to the organisation’s
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, asking him to circulate a diplomatic note from
the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry to the Chinese Foreign Ministry as an official
document of the 68th session of the General Assembly.
The diplomatic note
protested China’s refusal to end violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and
jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone prescribed by the 1982 UNCLOS, to
which both Vietnam and China are members.
Source: VOV
