(VOV) -Increased tensions in the East Sea will be part of discussions between Vietnamese and American lawmakers during a Hanoi visit this week by a delegation from the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

China must withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s waters and seek a diplomatic and peaceful solution to disputes in the East Sea, Ezequiel Ramoneda, coordinator of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Argentina’s National University of La Plata, has said.

(VOV) - Vietnamese American scholars have proclaimed that China's actions are a serious and unremitting violation of international law.

(VOV) - There is growing concern about increased tension in the East Sea after China illegally placed its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone in the sea.

(VOV) - Former Air Defence General Jean-Vincent Brisset has suggested that Vietnam bring China to the international arbitration court as an effective way of dealing with China’s violation of international law.

(VOV) - Professor Vladimir Kolotov, a Vietnam Studies scholar, says China’s illegal deployment of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters is just a first step in a long-term strategy to realise its East Sea expansion ambition. 

(VOV) - The government is preparing necessary filings to bring China to the International Arbitration Court if China does not withdraw its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. 

(VOV) - Admiral Samuel Locklear III, Commander of the US Pacific Command, has called on Vietnam and China to exercise restraint and avoid complicating the situation in the East Sea.

(VOV) -Vietnam has sufficient legal and historical evidence to strongly affirm its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands.

(VOV) - Head of the parliament of Mexican Zacatecas State, Alfredo Femat Banuelo, has expressed support and appreciation for Vietnam’s peace stance, in dealing with tensions in the East Sea consistently and correctly.

(VOV) - Bruno Philip, a senior Southeast Asia correspondent of France’s Le Monde, has analysed the complicated situation in the East Sea, saying China is behaving as if it is allowed to do everything in the region. 

(VOV) - The White House said on May 22 the US would support Vietnam’s use of legal action against China to settle a territorial dispute following China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in the East Sea.

(VOV) - On May 1, 2014 China placed its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea, running counter to international law and provoking public outrage in Vietnam and the world.

(VOV) - China has made its claim about a nine-dash line that stretches along the coastline of a number of countries in the East Sea, covering up to 80 percent of the sea’s area.

(VOV) -Hundreds of international friends and overseas Vietnamese gathered at Place des Nations Square in front of Geneva-based UN headquarters on May 21, showing their solidarity for Vietnam and opposition against China’s provocative actions in the East Sea.

(VOV) - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said Vietnam is considering self-defence options, including legal actions, in accordance with international law, to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The container ship Heung-A Dragon, which was submerged off the coast of southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province last November, was successfully lifted on May 20. 

(VOV) - China’s placement of its drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone is to realise its ambition to control the East Sea and Beijing needs to stop this unilateral act, according to Australian scholars.

On May 21, China maintained the presence of 95 ships of various kinds, including a number of big tugboats, around its Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig which is illegally placed in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. 

The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations Office, the World Trade Organisation and Other International Organisations in Geneva on May 20 issued a press release on the recent developments in the East Sea and Vietnam’s position on the situation. 

(VOV) - Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh has asked China stop taking unilateral action in the East Sea, and instead sit down at the negotiating table and amicably settle territorial disputes with Vietnam. 

(VOV) - Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has confirmed that Vietnam will carry on its diplomatic efforts and peaceful measures to defend its sovereignty.

(VOV) -Chinese ships recently interfered and fired high-power water cannons at a Vietnamese ship, injuring a number of fisheries surveillance staff and destroying equipment.

The Czech-Vietnam Association (CVA) and Czech people strongly condemn China ’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnamese waters and always support Vietnam in its sovereignty protection. 

The Vietnamese Association in Angola held a meeting in Luanda on May 18 to protest against China’s provocative actions in the East Sea. 

(VOV) - China’s illegal installation of its drilling rig Ocean-981 deep within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf has sparked outrage among Vietnamese and peace-loving people worldwide.

President of the France-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarian Group Christian Poncelet has critisised China ’s placement of the Haiyang Shiyou -981 oil rig in Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone.

(VOV) -China will not stop using force to change the status quo in the East Sea to gradually turn the situation into a fait accompli.

(VOV) China on May 17 continued showing its aggressiveness by sending more military ships to areas surrounding the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig that it is illegally standing in Vietnam’s waters.

The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) on May 17 raised its voice to oppose China’s illegal placement of a drilling rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in the East Sea,