Elders from the Association of Hung Kings Temple in San Jose city, theUS state of California, have handed a letter demanding China’swithdrawal of its rig from Vietnam’s waters over to the Chinese GeneralConsulate in San Francisco.
The association is a non-politicalcharitable organisation established by Vietnamese-American people in SanJose some 30 years ago to worship the Hung Kings – the legendaryfounders of Vietnam – along with other heroes in the countries’ history.
Theletter read that by positioning the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 inVietnam’s exclusive economic zone, China once again deliberatelyviolates the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (1982UNCLOS).
The elders requested China to respect the sovereignty ofits neighbouring countries, abide by international laws of the sea, andimmediately withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s waters.
At theirdemonstration in front of the Chinese Consulate on May 12, hundreds ofleaflets in English and Chinese opposing China’s act were handed out topassers-by and they expressed a supportive attitude to Vietnam.
The association plans to stage sits-in on every Monday until China removes its oil rig.
China on May 2 stationed the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 at 15degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 nautical miles deep inVietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and 119 nautical miles to Vietnam’s Ly Son Island.
China has deployed 86 ships of variouskinds to the area. They include military, coast guard, marinesurveillance, marine patrol and fisheries ships backed by rescue,transport, refuelling and fishing ships.-VNA