The ambassadors of many countries to Belgium have shared the view that China’s installation of its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou - 981 in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone is a wrongful act which should be condemned.

The ambassadors of Japan, Lebanon, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Monaco, Norway, Brazil, Uruguay, Morocco, Malawi and the Vatican expressed the view at a meeting at the Vietnamese Embassy on May 26.

At the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau gave a full account of China’s violations and follow-up response by Vietnam and the world community. He affirmed that China’s act runs counter to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, seriously threatening peace, maritime security and safety in the region.

The same day, the Vietnam Mission to the EU also sent a diplomatic note and press release to EU bodies, including the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the missions of EU member countries and the diplomatic corps as well as research institutes and foreign press in Brussels to inform them about China’s serious violation of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

Meanwhile in France, more activities to protest against China’s act in the East Sea took place in recent days.

In Grenoble city, over 200 Vietnamese, including students, marched peacefully through main streets and gathered in Victor Hugo square in the downtown on May 24.

They waved banners written in Vietnamese, English, French and Chinese languages, requesting China to end its illegal presence in Vietnam’s waters. Many French and foreign friends also expressed their support to Vietnam by joining the rally.

A seminar on the East Sea situation was held in Lyon on May 25, at which Vietnamese residents and French fellows watched videos recording China’s attacks on Vietnamese coast guard ships, and heard foreign scholars’ opinions on the East Sea situation.

Also on May 25, Chairman of the Association of Korean People Loving Vietnam (VESAMO) in the Republic of Korea, Park Kwang-joo condemned China’s unilateral move in the East Sea and described it as worrisome.

Addressing a Korean language contest held in Ulsan city, Park noted that the Hoang Sa archipelago belonged to Vietnam before China unilaterally used armed forces to occupy the islands on January 19, 1974.

He said China’s placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereignty.

On May 2, China stationed the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil 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 deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and 119 nautical miles to Vietnam’s Ly Son Island.

Besides, it has deployed a large number of ships of various kinds to the area, including military, coast guard, marine surveillance, marine patrol and fisheries administration ships.

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