The Vietnamese community in Malaysia on May 15 issued a statement vehemently opposing China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

In their statement, the community expressed their outrage after China positioned the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, along with many vessels.

The group voiced their willingness to stand by the Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance authorities and fishermen to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.

They also called for justice, peace and stability in the East Sea and demanded China withdraw its oil rig and comply with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On May 2, China stationed the 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.

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

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 officers injured.-VNA