The Mexico – Vietnam Friendship and Cooperation Institute (MVCFI) onJune 25 held a meeting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico City toprotest China’s illegal stationing of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 inVietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
About 100 members of the institute and representatives from mediaagencies and socio-political organisations of Mexico participated in theevent, carrying placards and banners demanding China respect Vietnam’ssovereignty, immediately withdraw the rig and escort ships fromVietnam’s waters, and comply with international law.
At the event, MVCFI Honourary President Virgilio Caballero read astatement denouncing China’s deployment of the rig along with a largenumber of vessels and aircraft to protect the rig and attack Vietnameseships.
The document said such acts of Chinaseriously violate the agreement on basic principles guiding thesettlement of issues at sea agreed by the Vietnamese and ChineseGovernments in October 2011, and run counter to the 2002 ASEAN – ChinaDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.
The moves also defy international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it added.
In the statement, MVCFI called upon Chinese leaders to respect theagreements, especially those containing commitments to solving disputespeacefully, reached with their Vietnamese counterparts and internationalorganisations.
The institute demanded China removethe rig and all escort ships from Vietnam’s waters and stop ramming intoVietnamese ships in order to ease the tension and enhance mutualunderstanding.
They also asked the MexicanGovernment, particularly Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade, to send adiplomatic note to the Chinese Government to clarify basic principlesand international agreements signed within the UN framework.
After the meeting, MVCFI leaders handed over the statement to representatives of the Chinese Embassy.
At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig aswell as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft toVietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds eastlongitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusiveeconomic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation andmoved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deepinside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
China’s armed vessels haveaggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at andintentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships,causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.
On May 26, Chinese ships even sank a fishing boat belonging to Da Nangfishermen operating in the traditional fishing grounds near Vietnam’sHoang Sa archipelago.-VNA
About 100 members of the institute and representatives from mediaagencies and socio-political organisations of Mexico participated in theevent, carrying placards and banners demanding China respect Vietnam’ssovereignty, immediately withdraw the rig and escort ships fromVietnam’s waters, and comply with international law.
At the event, MVCFI Honourary President Virgilio Caballero read astatement denouncing China’s deployment of the rig along with a largenumber of vessels and aircraft to protect the rig and attack Vietnameseships.
The document said such acts of Chinaseriously violate the agreement on basic principles guiding thesettlement of issues at sea agreed by the Vietnamese and ChineseGovernments in October 2011, and run counter to the 2002 ASEAN – ChinaDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.
The moves also defy international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it added.
In the statement, MVCFI called upon Chinese leaders to respect theagreements, especially those containing commitments to solving disputespeacefully, reached with their Vietnamese counterparts and internationalorganisations.
The institute demanded China removethe rig and all escort ships from Vietnam’s waters and stop ramming intoVietnamese ships in order to ease the tension and enhance mutualunderstanding.
They also asked the MexicanGovernment, particularly Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade, to send adiplomatic note to the Chinese Government to clarify basic principlesand international agreements signed within the UN framework.
After the meeting, MVCFI leaders handed over the statement to representatives of the Chinese Embassy.
At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig aswell as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft toVietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds eastlongitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusiveeconomic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation andmoved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deepinside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
China’s armed vessels haveaggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at andintentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships,causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.
On May 26, Chinese ships even sank a fishing boat belonging to Da Nangfishermen operating in the traditional fishing grounds near Vietnam’sHoang Sa archipelago.-VNA
