VietNamNet Bridge – A number of meetings were held on May 14 by Vietnamese organisations and people to firmly protest China’s illegal placement of oil rig Haiyang Shiyou- 981 in Vietnam’s waters.

Thanh Hoa students protest China’s wrongful act in Vietnam’s waters (Source: VNE)

In its announcement, the National Committee for the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations said that it strictly opposed the act taken by China and asked Chinese authorities to withdraw its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou- 981 and accompanying ships and from Vietnam’s waters, and not to conduct similar acts within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf in future.

It called on Chinese writers, artists, intellectuals and people to raise their voice to ask their government to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and territory.

It also appealed to governments, international organisations, artistic circles, scholars and the peoples of foreign nations to call on China to abide by international law, in order to build and maintain peace, stability and development in the region.

The committee affirmed its wish to promote the traditional friendship between the people as well as the artistic circles of Vietnam and China.

The Peace Committee and the Peace and Development Foundation of Ho Chi Minh City also issued a statement to raise their voices against China’s act.

The organisations said China’s placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig and deployment of many armed vessels and aircrafts in Vietnam’s waters violated Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the country’s EEZ and continental shelf.

They said the action also worked against the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), high-ranking agreements between Vietnam and China, and the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Besides, the act has complicated the situation in the East Sea, causing instability in the region and negatively impacting the friendship between Vietnam and China, the organisations said.

The Hai Phong City Lawyers’ Association held a meeting to oppose China’s violation against Vietnam’s sovereignty over its seas and islands, attracting thousands of locals and many social organisations from the city.

Chairman of the association, Tran Ngoc Vinh said that China’s recent act seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea area, running counter to the 1982 UNCLOS, of which China is a signatory, the DOC, and the agreement of the two countries’ leaders to peacefully resolve disputes in East Sea.

The association asked China to withdraw its oil rig and accompanying ships and aircrafts from Vietnam’s waters.

It also called for joint efforts from the circle of Vietnamese lawyers and people, to promote solidarity and support the Party and Government in the struggle to protect the country’s sovereignty.

People should be vigilant about incitement from reactionary forces, which have taken advantage of the situation to encourage the public to damage assets of Chinese businesses and cause social disorder and harm to bilateral relations.

Nearly 1,000 students in Thanh Hoa Province joined a meeting held by the provincial youth union to protest China’s infringement.

Representatives from the provincial youth union briefed participants on China’s act of illegally positioning an oil rig in Vietnam’s EEZ, which violated the 1982 UNCLOS and DOC, as well as Vietnam’s stance on the incident.

The students expressed their patriotism and raised their voices to condemn China’s wrongful act.

The Bac Ninh provincial Fatherland Front Committee held a forum to protest about China illegally placing an oil rig in Vietnam’s EEZ and continental shelf, which was attended by many social organisations and 25 religious dignitaries and followers in the province.

The delegates asked China to abide by international law, the 1982 UNCLOS and the DOC to maintain peace, stability and development in East Sea, and immediately stop the escalation of tensions in the East Sea.

Source: Nhan Dan