Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on May 22 met with Speaker of thePhilippine House of Representatives Feliciano J.Belmonte, who confirmedhis country’s consistent support for Vietnam on the East Sea issue.
During the meeting in Manila, the speaker expressedhis deep concern over China’s illegal positioning of its HaiyangShiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
He said that the lower house backs the stance shared by PM Dung andPhilippine President Benigno Aquino that the two countries determinedlyprotest and call on other ASEAN member countries and the internationalcommunity to continue raising their strong voices to force China toimmediately end such violations. They also want international pressureto build for China to strictly abide by international law, the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Declaration onthe Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and work towards theestablishment of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
The host stressed the need to call for the international support onthe East Sea issue as about 30-40 percent of the world’s total goods arebeing transported through its waters.
WhatChina has done with Vietnam and the Philippines has just begun, he said,adding that if regional nations do not unify to prevent China’s acts,they can be the next victims of China when it is trying to realise itsbaseless so-called nine-dash line.
Belmonteagreed with the formation of a joint working committee between the twocountries, saying that he hopes the committee will have bilateralcoordination activities towards the upgrading of their bilateral ties tostrategic partnership level.
For his part, PMDung, who is on visit to the Philippines to attend the World EconomicForum, affirmed Vietnam’s consistent standpoint of determinedlydemanding China immediately withdraw its drilling rig and armed shipsfrom Vietnam’s waters.
China’s act isthreatening peace, stability in the region as well as maritime securityand safety in the East Sea, Dung said, adding that Vietnam will use alllegal measures it can in line with international law to protect itslegitimate interests and sovereignty.
TheVietnamese Government leader said that Vietnam always wants to work withthe Philippines to develop bilateral ties in a deep, effective andpractical manner in order to lift the relationship into a new height,for the interests of the two peoples, and for peace, security, stabilityand development in the region.-VNA