China poses threat to peace in SEA: Argentine experts

China’s illegal placement of its oil rig inside Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf poses a threat to peace in Southeast Asia as well as the world as a whole, commented an Argentine geopolitical expert.
China’s illegal placement of its oil rig inside Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf poses a threat to peace in Southeast Asia as well as the world as a whole, commented an Argentine geopolitical expert.

Speaking in a commentary radio programme on international affairs broadcast by Equilibrium Global, Alberto Hutschenreuter, a professor at the Air War College of the Argentine Air Force, said China ’s violation of Vietnam ’s waters has created a crisis of international law.

Hutschenreuter, who is also director of Argentine media company Equilibrium Global, told Vietnam News Agency correspondents that he is concerned about China ’s refusal to abide by decisions made by international organisations in settling disputes, while whipping up nationalism and accelerating arms race.

His concern was shared by his colleague, Diego Velazquez, Social Media Manager of Equilibrium Global who said China is seeking to demonstrate its strength to intimidate others with the goal of illegally arrogating natural resources in the East Sea .

Velazquez underscored that China ’s deployment of its drilling rig and a large fleet, including military ships, to Vietnam ’s waters is an action of invasion which challenges Vietnam ’s sovereignty and threatens peace and stability in the region and the world.

At the same time, Vanina Soledad Fattori, Equilibrium Global’s Coordinator of Contents, who is also a commentator of the Argentine website for world affairs “United Explanation,” pointed out that Beijing’s move in the East Sea infringed both the 1982 United Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea that it signed with ASEAN countries in 2002.

She was of the view that Vietnam has full historical evidence to prove its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago which was occupied through the use of force by China .

Fattori also noted that international opinion worldwide supports Vietnam’s stance of settling disputes through peaceful measures in conformity with international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS with the hope to maintain peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the world.-VNA

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