VN continues protest against China at UN

According to the June 4 Diplomatic Note, Viet Nam continues to affirm that China seriously violates Viet Nam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction over its waters in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to which both countries are signatories.

China’s move also violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues in the East Sea signed between Viet Nam and China as well as other related agreements between the two countries, gravely undermining the mutual political trust.

Viet Nam resolutely protests against China’s illegal action, according to the Diplomatic Note.

Viet Nam has endeavored to communicate with China under various forms and at various levels to demand China stop violating Viet Nam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction as well as its sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago.

China, however, has failed to respond to Viet Nam’s goodwill. More seriously, China moved its oil rig and escort ships to another location well within Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and even dispatched more military ships to guard the illicit oil rig.

Noticeably, Chinese ships rammed and sank Vietnamese fishing boat DNa 90152 TS with 10 fishermen on board fishing in the exclusive economic zone of Viet Nam, and rammed and broke the Vietnamese Coast Guard vessel CSB 2016 on duty in the Vietnamese waters. These actions by China have aggravated tensions in the East Sea, seriously threatened peace, stability, freedom of navigation and maritime security and safety in the region, causing concern in the international community, fueling discontent among the Vietnamese people and adversely affecting the good friendship and the long-standing, traditional ties between the two countries’ Parties, governments and peoples.

"Once again, Viet Nam seriously demands that China respect international law, immediately terminate all activities that violate Viet Nam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, withdraw the oil rig, ships and all other related vehicles from Vietnam’s waters and desist from similar actions in the future. Viet Nam also solemnly requests China to resolve all maritime disputes as well as those concerning China’s illegal deployment of the oil rig in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Viet Nam, through negotiations or other peaceful means in conformity with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," the Note concluded.

Viet Nam also asked the UN Secretary General to circulate the Note as an official document of the 68th session of the General Assembly under agenda item 76 entitled "Ocean and the law of the sea".

By Huong Giang