China urged to withdraw oil rig from Vietnam’s waters
(VOV) - The Vietnam Fisheries Association (VFA) held a meeting in Hanoi on May 14, asking China to immediately withdraw its drilling rig Ocean-981 and escort vessels from Vietnam’s sovereign waters.
VFA President Nguyen Viet Thang stressed that China’s installation of its giant oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf is a serious violation of international law, especially 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).
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| As many as 500 people attended the meeting in Hanoi on May 14, asking China to remove its oil rig and escort vessels from Vietnam's territorial waters (Photo:VNA) |
China’s wrongful act also runs counter to high-level agreements reached between Vietnam and China, and threatens peace and stability in the region, he said.
Thang called on China to work with Vietnam to settle the East Sea disputes and stop carrying out similar acts in the future.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association and fishermen, and Vietnamese people in general want to maintain and develop friendship between Vietnam and China, in the long-term interest of the two peoples and for regional peace and prosperity.
Vietnam attaches great importance to friendship with China, but it is entitled to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, Thang stressed.