Many analysts from Australia have raised their objections to China’s placement of a giant oil rig, accompanied by a large fleet of vessels, in Vietnam’s territorial waters. 

(VOV) - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has stressed China’s recent installation of its giant drilling rig deep within an ASEAN state’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf is a serious violation of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

(VOV) - Thousands of people in HCM City took the streets on May 11, protesting against China’s illegal installation of its drilling rig Ocean-981 and deployment of escort vessels and aircraft in Vietnam’s territorial waters.

(VOV) - The Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation (VPDF) released a statement in Hanoi on May 11, protesting against China’s illegal deployment of an oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

(VOV) - The Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) has released a number of photos, refuting China’s accusations of Vietnamese ships attacking its vessels in the East Sea. 

(VOV) - ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has described the recent incident between Vietnam and China in the East Sea as "extremely serious".

(VOV) - A senior Buddhist dignitary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on May 10 voiced the VBS’s strong opposition to China’s stationing of its drilling oil rig Ocean-981 and deployment of escort vessels in Vietnam’s territorial waters and demanded an immediate end to the violation.

(VOV) - Tensions in the East Sea following China’s deployment of its Giant drilling rig Ocean-981 and escort vessels, including military ships, in the area is casting a shadow over the ASEAN leaders’ summit taking place in Myanmar.

(VOV) - ASEAN Foreign Ministers on May 10 expressed their serious concerns over the on-going developments in the East Sea, which have increased tensions in the area.

(VOV) - Six US senators have issued a joint statement criticizing China’s stationing of its oil rig Ocean-981 in the disputed waters and attacks on Vietnamese ships, describing its actions as ‘troubling’ in the region.

(VOV) - The Vietnam Peace Committee (VPC) has condemned China’s recent violation of Vietnam’s territorial waters, affecting the time-honoured friendship between the two peoples.

(VOV) - Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh on May 9 sharply rebuked China’s violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea at an ASEAN meeting in Myanmar, stating he fully expects the Southeast Asian nations will work out a viable solution to deescalate tensions in the region.

(VOV) - Professor, Ph.D. in history Dmitry Mosyakov from the Russian Academy of Sciences has called upon China to stop oil & gas operations in the disputed waters and avoid a similar mistake it made in 1992.

The state-run China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)’s operations in Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone are against the practice of international oil and gas activities, hurting the mutual trust and the motto of cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and China.

Vietnam will use all peaceful measures as stipulated in the United Nations Charter and international law to safeguard its rights and interests in the East Sea.

High-profile foreign media outlets have sided with Vietnam after hearing China’s controversial explanations about its recent placement of an oil rig in the East Sea. 

(VOV) - China violates both the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and will face consequences in the long run.

(VOV) - The US has strongly condemned China’s unilateral and provocative act in the East Sea, following news China had deployed its deepwater oil rig HD-981 in Vietnam’s territorial waters and its escort vessels rammed Vietnamese patrol boats.

China’s deployment of an oil rig in Vietnam’s waters is a hazardous escalation that creates an extremely dangerous scenario to the region, the Straits Times, Singapore’s leading daily, quoted the country’s analysts as saying on May 7. 

(VOV) - The Geneva agreement to solve Ukraine’s crisis is on the verge of collapse due to differences on how to implement it. Parties concerned have blamed one another instead of acting in sync. Escalating tensions in Ukraine have signaled a more serious political crisis there.

(VOV) - US President Barack Obama began a week-long tour of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines on April 22, aiming to rebalance the US’ strategy in Asia-Pacific and confirm its political and economic commitments with its alliances.

(VOV) - One month after the EU and Cuba began negotiations to normalize their relationship, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius paid a historic visit to Cuba on April 12, signaling a new start in bilateral relations after a 30 years hiatus.

(VOV) - The latest negotiation between Palestine and Israel on April 6 aimed at saving the Middle East peace process concluded without any breakthrough.

(VOV) - Afghan people will cast their ballots in a presidential election late this week in the hope that a new government can resolve instability, corruption, poor management, and the impasse in security negotiations with the US.

(VOV) - US President Barak Obama will visit Saudi Arabia after his tour of 3 European countries beginning on March 28. During his second trip to Saudi Arabia since 2009, Obama hopes to improve bilateral ties, a goal which could prove challenging.

(VOV) -The Foundation for East Sea Studies (FESS) made its official debut in Hanoi on March 27.

(VOV) - The situation on the Korean peninsula has become tense, with the two Koreas both stepping up their military activities. It has raised public fears of a new period of instability which could derail the resumption of 6-party talks on a nuclear free peninsula.

(VOV) - President Hamid Karzai repeated last week that Afghan security forces can ensure national security without international assistance. The announcement has dashed any US hope that the outgoing Afghan President will sign a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the US.

(VOV) - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez says Cuba has agreed to begin negotiations with the European Union to normalize ties after a decade of suspension.

(VOV) - One year after President Hugo Chavez’s death, Venezuela is struggling with demonstrations and spreading unrest on top of numerous economic difficulties.