Illegal action, no excuse!
(Baonghean) - On May 3, the China Maritime Safety Administration announced that the drilling rig named Haiyang 981 (HD-981) will conduct drilling and operations at the coordinates 15029'58" North latitude - 111012'06" East longitude from May 2 to August 15. On May 4, Vietnam Television officially reported that the spokesman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Le Hai Binh, affirmed that the coordinates of the HD-981 drilling rig are located entirely within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, about 120 nautical miles from the Vietnamese coast. Vietnam resolutely opposes this act of infringement.
In order to create a peaceful and stable environment for national development, Vietnam has persistently implemented many measures to protect and maintain its sovereignty, territorial integrity, airspace and sea areas against China's aggressive actions or arrogant declarations by peaceful means. Vietnam's steadfast efforts to peacefully resolve disputes are consistent with the peace-loving tradition of the Vietnamese people and the development trend of international relations in the "flat world", and are highly appreciated by progressive public opinion. However, it is regrettable that China not only fails to recognize its erroneous and distorted perceptions of the "cow tongue line" declaration and its aggressive actions in the East Sea, but also continues to take dangerous steps, take wrongful and extremely arrogant actions, which are truly regrettable and completely unacceptable.
The act of bringing the HD-981 drilling rig to Vietnam's exclusive economic zone shows that China has made a big mistake, an illegal and unjust action, and will certainly receive condemnation, denunciation and resolute opposition because it cannot be justified in any form.
First of all, as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China's brazen deployment of the drilling rig to operate in Vietnam's sovereign waters is a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also known as the Law of the Sea Convention, an international treaty created at the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea held from 1973 to 1982 with amendments made in the 1994 Implementation Treaty. The Law of the Sea Convention is a set of regulations on the use of the world's oceans, effective since 1994. According to the provisions of this Convention, China has deployed the drilling rig 81 nautical miles/148km beyond the line defining the waters under Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. This action shows that China not only does not set an example in implementing the United Nations Convention, but also seriously violates the United Nations legal document, which is considered the highest legal document in the world on determining sovereignty over seas and islands. Arbitrarily carrying out intentions to violate the sovereignty of other countries and disobey international law is something that the world has, is and will continue to condemn and boycott, because such actions can only be the actions of "thugs", "gangsters", "village thugs". Such actions always carry the risk of breaking good relationships, causing disunity and aggression between countries and peoples, causing conflicts, collisions and confrontations, going against the historical progress of civilization in the developed world.
Along with that, the Chinese Maritime Administration put the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig into operation in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, which is undeniable evidence that China has unilaterally trampled on the commitments and declarations on the cooperative relationship between the two neighboring countries Vietnam and China. This is no longer an action occurring in a disputed area, but an action occurring right in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. Moreover, it is also a dangerous step, showing that China's violations do not stop at declarations and aggression, but have been realized through arrogant, belligerent and aggressive actions. With such actions, China has no legal or practical basis to justify or cover up the above-mentioned wrongdoings. Therefore, it is necessary and necessary to resolutely fight against China's placement of the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone until China stops all acts of violating Vietnam's sovereignty.
The move of a giant oil rig, worth billions of dollars, to Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone shows that China is not accidental but has a long-term plan to carry out its treacherous intentions, and there is no sign of stopping. This is extremely dangerous because if its intention to monopolize the East Sea is not prevented, China will continue to realize its absurd claim of the “cow tongue line” in a more sinister way with more brazen and arrogant actions. If the measures to fight are not strong enough to prevent it, there is no guarantee that China will not declare its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as an archipelagic state to create an area overlapping the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of Vietnam and related countries. If this happens, it will be no different from a great disaster for all sovereign countries occupied by China.
However, once the issue of national interests, national sovereignty, and the legitimate interests of the entire nation are recognized by international law, Vietnam will be forced to protect its sovereignty with specific, practical, and effective measures. With all its legal power, just power, undeniable factual basis, and historical basis, Vietnam resolutely opposes and does not accept any excuses or disguises to cover up China's sovereignty violations; at the same time, it resolutely fights to prevent and repel all illegal acts of sovereignty violations by China.
Chi Linh Son
