Defense Minister: China must immediately withdraw oil rig
VGP – China must immediately withdraw its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 illegally placed in Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, join talks with Viet Nam to maintain peace, stability and friendship between the two countries.
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Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh |
Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh raised the point at the ongoing 13th IISS Asia Security Summit in Singapore.
The China’s move has sparked public anger and resentment among Vietnamese people inside and outside the Southeast Asian country as well as special concern around the world.
China has deployed more than 130 ships, including military vessels and planes to guard the oil rig located 80 nautical miles deep into the Vietnamese exclusive economic zone prescribed by the UNCLOS.
More seriously, Chinese ships repeatedly controlled, attacked, rammed, threatened with violence the vessels of the Vietnamese law enforcement forces as well as fishing boats. China even sank a Vietnamese boat, with 10 fishermen, on 26 May 2014.
As a member of the United Nations Security Council, a big country in the region, China’s perverse acts in right in Viet Nam’s waters are unacceptable.
Big countries need to bear bigger responsibilities in maintaining peace and stability. All acts of trampling on the others will certainly be condemned by peace-lovers on this planet./.
By Huong Giang
