Chinese ships continuously rammed and sprayed water cannons at Vietnamese ships.

On the afternoon of June 5, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an international press conference to announce developments in the East Sea after more than a month since China illegally placed the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The press conference was chaired by Mr. Le Hai Binh, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; Mr. Tran Duy Hai, Deputy Head of the National Border Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; Colonel Ngo Ngoc Thu, Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Vietnam Coast Guard; Mr. Ha Le, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Surveillance Department.

Press conference held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the afternoon of June 5

At the beginning of the press conference, Mr. Le Hai Binh said that it has been more than a month since China brazenly brought the Haiyang Shiyou 981 deep-water drilling rig and placed it in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Along with that, China has sent many escort ships, including military ships, into this area and has acted aggressively, arrogantly, threatening to use force against law enforcement forces and Vietnamese fishermen.

According to Mr. Le Hai Binh, this behavior of China has threatened peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the region, going against the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, disregarding other provisions of international law, ignoring the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and at the same time ignoring the concerns and very legitimate recommendations of the international community.

This behavior of China has also affected the security and safety of navigation in the East Sea - the world's leading shipping route. Therefore, it has had a negative impact on the economic recovery and growth efforts of the Asia-Pacific region as well as the world.

Mr. Le Hai Binh said that over the past month, Vietnam has been extremely persistent in exchanging and contacting China at many different levels. Persistently using peaceful measures, demonstrating the determination to protect the country's independence and sovereignty. During the contacts, Vietnam has always resolutely requested China to immediately remove the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig from Vietnam's waters; at the same time, immediately stop actions that cause tension in the region.

Vietnam's determination and goodwill have been supported by the international community. However, in response to Vietnam's efforts and goodwill, China has continued, even taken more aggressive actions, causing extremely serious incidents on the ground; at the same time, China has continuously made slanderous accusations and blamed Vietnam; trumpeted China's so-called "sovereignty" over the Paracel Islands, which in reality are the Paracel Islands under Vietnam's sovereignty.

Next, Mr. Tran Duy Hai, Deputy Head of the National Border Committee, said that more than a month since China illegally placed the drilling rig in Vietnam's waters, Vietnam has made efforts to communicate at many levels and in many forms to request China to withdraw the drilling rig and escort ships. On the contrary, China has continuously slandered Vietnam on the ground and has taken new escalatory actions, moving the drilling rig to a new location, 60 nautical miles deep in Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

In addition to moving the rig, China also increased its escort ships of all kinds, reaching 140 at peak times, and deployed many fighter jets. Chinese ships acted aggressively, ramming and spraying water cannons at Vietnamese law enforcement and civilian ships, injuring and damaging many ships.

The most serious incident was on May 26, when a Chinese fishing boat rammed and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat that was fishing normally in the exclusive economic zone, 17 nautical miles from the drilling rig, making the situation extremely tense. Then on June 1, a Chinese ship rammed a CSB 2016 ship on duty, exacerbating the situation in the East Sea, threatening maritime security and regional peace.

Representative of the Vietnam Coast Guard, Colonel Le Ngoc Thu, said that China has used 6 types of warships: missile frigates, missile destroyers, fast attack patrol boats, anti-submarine ships, and submarine hunters to protect the drilling rig. In addition, China has also used many flights to regularly operate in the waters where the Chinese drilling rig was illegally placed to spy and record the activities of Vietnamese law enforcement forces.

Mr. Ha Le, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Surveillance Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), said that up to now, 19 Fisheries Surveillance ships have been rammed and damaged, injuring 12 Fisheries Surveillance officers.

Also at this press conference, the Vietnam Coast Guard and Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance force showed video clips showing the recklessness of Chinese ships when they continuously rammed and sprayed water cannons at Vietnamese law enforcement forces and Vietnamese fishermen.

According to VOV