Thai-invested Oriental Garment An Giang company in the southern province of An Giang on July 7 updated some 1,300 of its workers with the latest developments in the East Sea.

At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig 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.

China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.

On July 7, China deployed up to 110 ships of various types, including four military ships to defend the rig, and chase Vietnamese law enforcement ships that were operating normally in their national waters.

These acts are perverse, infringing upon Vietnam’s sovereignty and international law.

The company’s trade union said it is right to stage peaceful marches in protest against China’s wrongful acts, advising every worker to watch out for traps attempted to sabotage the national economy by extremists and hostile forces.

Present at the event, the provincial Federation of Labour called on workers to stay united and support the Party and State’s stance on safeguarding national sovereignty at sea.

In mid-May, disturbances erupted in some localities, including central Ha Tinh and southern Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces, during workers’ rallies protesting China’s illegal placement of its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 in Vietnam’s waters.

Some extremists incited others to destroy the property of foreign firms, as well as some belonging to the State, national businesses and individuals, and resisted on-duty law enforcement officials, disrupting social order and business activities.

Authorities have arrested and brought to trial hundreds of rioters.-VNA