The Ex-Youth Volunteers’ Association and the Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail Tradition Association have vehemently denounced China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea.

The former group, which contains around 500,000 members who fought against French, US and other forces, is now determined to join the calls for China to remove its illegally-positioned Haiyang Shiyou – 981 oil rig and its escort fleet of military vessels and jets from Vietnam’s waters.

It also proposed establishing youth volunteer teams tasked with maintaining offshore fishing and protecting the country’s sea and islands, as well as the assets and lives of fishermen.

The Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh Trail Tradition Association also demanded the Chinese authorities to instantly end the illegal act in Vietnam’s waters.

Being the soldiers who fought along the Truong Son-Ho Chi Minh Trail during the national liberation war, members of the association understand the values of national independence, territorial integrity and the desire to coexist peacefully with nations around the world, the association said, expressing belief that the country’s sovereignty must be protected at any cost.

The Truong Son or Ho Chi Minh Trail, which runs in part along the Truong Son Range, was the key supply route from the north to the south of Vietnam during the war. It was the site of numerous fierce battles.

On May 2, China stationed the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 nautical miles inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

China has deployed around 90 vessels of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fishing ships.

Chinese ships have repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard boats which are carrying out their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters, causing damage and injuring fisheries surveillance officers.-VNA