The Vietnam Petroleum Association (VPA) has said that the Chinese
National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) announcement to invite
international bids for nine oil and gas lots within Vietnam’s exclusive
economic zone and continental shelf seriously violates Vietnam’s
sovereignty.
In a Declaration on the issue
released on June 29, the VPA affirmed that CNOOC invited international
bids for nine lots located within Vietnam’s 200-nautical mile
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf which are absolutely not
disputed areas.
It says that a check on the
coordinates of the lots released by China revealed that the lots are
situated deep within the area of Vietnam’s continental shelf, and
overlap lots 128 to 132 and 145 to 156 where the Vietnam National Oil
and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has been operating for a considerable time.
The association said the CNOOC’s invitation of
international bids for exploration and production at nine oil and gas
lots (with a total area of 160,129.38 sq km) on its website, in both
English and Chinese languages, on June 23 2012, is an illegal act of no
value, contrary to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea and not commensurate with international oil and gas practice.
“This act gravely violates Vietnam’s sovereign rights,
jurisdictional rights and national interests, complicating the situation
and fanning tensions in the East Sea,” said the VPA.
The VPA strongly condemns the Chinese company’s action and requests
that it immediately cease the unlawful bid invitation, strictly comply
with the agreements on basic principles guiding the settlement of
Vietnam-China sea issues, and respect international law, especially the
1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.
VPA requests
international oil and gas companies not to join the bidding for nine oil
and gas lots invited by CNOOC which are situated within Vietnam ’s
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
VPA
always attaches importance to promoting traditional friendship and
cooperation between the Vietnamese and Chinese people, and those others
working in the oil and gas field on the basis of respecting national
independence, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of countries,
respecting international law, contributing to maintaining peace and
security in the region.
VPA welcomes CNOOC, other
Chinese oil and gas companies and international oil and gas businesses
to join cooperatively in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and
continental shelf, on the basis of respecting Vietnam’s sovereignty,
sovereign rights and jurisdictional rights in line with Vietnamese and
international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea.
On its part, VPA will coordinate
with relevant Vietnamese agencies to provide support and ensure that
these cooperative activities are implemented smoothly.-VNA