The Vietnamese delegation to the United Nations, World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva, sent a diplomatic note on June 5 to the permanent representative missions of countries in Geneva and Swiss-based international organisations.

The messages provided an update on developments regarding China’s illegal placement of its oil rig and provocative actions in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam.

Over the past month since China illegally positioned its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s waters, it has repeatedly deployed hundreds of ships, including warships, and military jets to the rig to harass, provoke and attack Vietnamese law enforcement vessels and fishing boats that are legally operating there, the document said.

A Chinese ship changed its direction and was prepared to ram Vietnamese boats

The actions by China have injured sailors and law enforcement officers of Vietnam, damaged tens of Vietnamese ships and caused economic losses to Vietnam.

In a particularly serious escalation, on May 26 a Chinese vessel took the inhumane action of sinking Vietnamese fishing boat DNa 90152 that was operating in its traditional fishing ground near Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago of Vietnam.

The diplomatic note one again demanded China immediately and unconditionally withdraw the rig from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, stop all illegal actions, obstructions and provocations against Vietnamese ships there, strictly punish culprits and compensate for losses they caused to the Vietnamese side.

The Vietnamese delegation resolutely rejected false and fabricated allegations that China had cited in its delegation’s diplomatic note delivered to international organisations and permanent representative delegations in Geneva on June 2.

Based on legal and historical documents, the Vietnamese diplomatic note attested Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and completely rebuffed China’s illegal and groundless claims of sovereignty over the archipelago.

It stated that the rig’s installation and provocative actions by China in the Vietnamese waters are serious violations of the sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction of Vietnam and threaten peace, stability and maritime security in the region.

The diplomatic note highlighted policies and goodwill of Vietnam in pursuing peaceful solutions and on the basis of international law and the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) with China, as well as other concerned countries.

It called on countries and international organisations to continue criticising the wrongful acts of China and support the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures and on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Late last month, Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations sent a letter to the organisation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, asking him to circulate a diplomatic note from the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry to the Chinese Foreign Ministry as an official document of the 68th session of the General Assembly.

The diplomatic note protested China’s refusal to end violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone prescribed by the 1982 UNCLOS, to which both Vietnam and China are members.

VNA/VNN