Mass associations continue opposing China’s illegal acts
The Vietnam War Veterans’
Association (VWVA) and the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) on May 13
strongly protested China ’s illegal placement of a drilling rig in
Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
In its statement, the VWVA said that on May 2, China stationed the
drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds
north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The
location is 80 nautical miles deep in Vietnam ’s continental shelf and
119 nautical miles to Vietnam ’s Ly Son Island.
China has also deployed a large number of escort ships and aircraft
to the site. These ships have repeatedly attacked Vietnamese ships in
the area, causing heavy material damage and threatening human life.
“China’s rig and escort ships are operating entirely in Vietnam’s
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf stipulated in the 1982 UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement affirmed.
China ’s acts defied international law and seriously violated
Vietnam ’s sovereignty and the UNCLOS to which China is a signatory.
They ran counter to the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the
East Sea (DOC) signed between China and ASEAN, complicating the
situation, causing instability and threatening the freedom of maritime
trade in the East Sea .
China ’s new and
serious actions went against the joint statements of the two countries’
leaders and agreements on strengthening the strategic partnership,
seriously hurting the friendly neighbourliness between the two peoples.
As a socio-political organisation representing war
veterans, the VWVA strongly opposed and asked China to immediately
stop the illegal acts, withdraw the rig and escort ships from Vietnam
’s waters, and prevent the recurrence of similar acts in the future.
The association strongly affirmed Vietnam ’s sovereignty over Hoang
Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, sovereign right and jurisdiction over the
country’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East
Sea in line with the provisions of international law.
It demanded the Chinese side to strictly abide by international law,
especially the 1982 UNCLOS, and commitments in the DOC between China
and ASEAN, as well as agreements reached between high-ranking leaders
of the two countries.
The association voiced its total
support for the policy and efforts by the Vietnamese government and
authorities in safeguarding Vietnam ’s legitimate sovereignty through
peaceful measures.
It called on countries and
veterans’ associations and individuals all over the world to raise their
voice in the protection of justice and international law, and said it
stands ready to do its utmost to, together with the whole people,
encourage the Vietnamese young generation to resolutely safeguard the
national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests.
The VWU also issued a statement condemning China ’s
brazen violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,
sovereign right and jurisdiction. It is also a violation of the 1982
UNCLOS and the DOC, running counter to commitments the two countries’
leaders have repeatedly affirmed.
The statement voiced
VWU and all of Vietnamese women’s discontent to China ’s wrongful
and dangerous move that seriously hurts the friendship between the
people, especially women, of the two countries.
The
union called on international partners and women all over the world,
including those in China , to raise their voice in the protection of
peace and justice, demanding the Chinese government to abide by
international law and to immediately withdraw the rig and escort ships
from Vietnam ’s waters.
It pledged to do all it can
to nurture the international solidarity and friendship, thus
contributing to the goals of equality, development and peace as jointly
pledged by women throughout the world at the 4 th world women’s
conference held in Beijing in 1995.-VNA