Vietnam has welcomed the US Senate’s Resolution
412 which calls on China to withdraw its drilling rig and associated maritime
forces from their current positions, and to return immediately to the status
quo as it existed before May 1, 2014.
.jpg){kind=avatar} |
Foreign Ministry spokesman
Le Hai Binh addressing the press conference
|
Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh made the
statement on July 11 in reply to reporters’ questions regarding the US Senate’s
approval of Resolution 412 on July 10. The resolution reaffirms “the strong
support of the United States Government for freedom of navigation and other
internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region, and
for the peaceful diplomatic resolution of outstanding territorial and maritime
claims and disputes.”
“Vietnam hopes nations inside and outside the
region, including the US, will continue to make strong, practical, effective
and constructive contributions to peace, stability, security, safety and
freedom of navigation and aviation in the region,” the spokesman said.
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 into Vietnam’s
continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China 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
