The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) on June 13 sent a letter to the China People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, expressing concerns over Chinese ships repeatedly making acts of violation, publicly damaging and hindering Vietnamese vessels’ operations in the sea well within Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

The acts by the Chinese side were a violation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in which China was a signatory, and went against the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the common perception of senior leaders of the two countries, the letter stated.

The VUFO expressed its wish that the Chinese side would employ suitable measures to address the consequences of the issue, not allow similar actions to recur and ensure the strength and development of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries./.