President of the India-Vietnam Solidarity Committee Geetesh Sharma has opposed China’s violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty and called on China to exercise restraint and come to negotiation table abiding by the international law and precedence.

In his recent statement, Geetesh Sharma expressed the deep concern over China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

More than 80 Chinese vessels, including military ships and aircraft have massed to escort the rig.

“Those ships have constantly threatened and attacked Vietnamese ships operating in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam, causing heavy material damage and wounding many people,” the statement said.

“Such actions of Government of China not only seriously violate Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, but also run counter to international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement emphasised.

It goes against the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea signed by ASEAN member states and China, and violate the agreements on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related reach between senior leaders of Vietnam and China, the statement added.

These actions adversely affect people to people relations, the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and China, peace movements in the region and the world besides threatening peace, security, stability and cooperation for mutual development in the region and the world.
“In fact, the expansionist and hegemonic policies of the Government of China is not a hidden agenda. They have demonstrated it time and again to bully the neighboring countries by intrusion into their sovereignty, the latest example being Vietnam,” the statement said.

While strongly condemning their action, Geetesh Sharma called on to the Chinese government to exercise restraint and come to negotiation table abiding by the international law and precedence. Peace in the Asian region is in peril and so all the peace loving forces should unitedly come forward and condemn unequivocally such acts of intrusion.

“The Government and NGOs in Vietnam should utilise all the available platforms to apprise the global community of the situation and ensure the peace in the region in not disturbed and justice is done to Vietnam,” the statement said.-VNA