Major General Le Van Cuong: Need to be alert to developments in the East Sea

PV:As a strategy researcher, could you please provide more information about China's actions violating Vietnam's sovereignty in the East Sea that have recently caused a stir in public opinion?

Major General Le Van Cuong:On July 17, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) announced that the Haiyang 8 survey ship group, along with its escort ships and coast guard ships, were operating in Block 06.1, northwest of Vietnam's Tu Chinh Shoal, at coordinates only about 100 nautical miles from Vietnam's baseline, which is entirely within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone.

Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 operates in waters within Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, near the Tu Chinh - Vung May area.

It should be noted that there are many oil fields and oil reservoirs in the East Sea, but the Tu Chinh - Vung May and Nam Con Son basins in the South of the East Sea, where China is operating illegally, are the largest oil reservoirs discovered in the East Sea. All resources, including biological and non-biological resources, in this sea area belong to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Countries wishing to fish or explore and exploit oil and gas in this area must have the consent of the Vietnamese Government, otherwise they will violate and infringe upon Vietnam's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and national jurisdiction.

Referring to modern international law, China's deployment of the Haiyang 8 survey ship system to operate in Lot 06.1 has violated the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), violated the DOC declaration that China signed with 10 ASEAN countries in Cambodia in 2002. This also means that China has gone against its commitments to ASEAN, going against the 4 Vietnam-China commitments from 2011 to present with the content of maintaining stability in the East Sea, resolving East Sea disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and not creating incidents that cause trouble and tension in the East Sea.

Major General Le Van Cuong

Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang has twice voiced her protest, clearly stating that China's actions have violated Vietnam's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and national jurisdiction. Vietnam hopes that China and countries in and outside the region will strictly comply with UNCLOS 1982, ensuring peace and stability in the region. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also handed over a diplomatic note of protest to China, demanding that China withdraw the Haiyang 8 and other ships from Vietnam's Tu Chinh Shoal in Lot 06.1. I think Vietnam's response in this incident is appropriate, sober, calm, both resolute and clever.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Vietnam has handed over a diplomatic note of protest to China, demanding that China immediately withdraw from Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. Photo: Twitter MoFAVietNam Spokesperson

The international community also voiced strong opposition. The US State Department spokesperson said that China is bullying and undermining regional peace, security and stability. The US firmly opposes aggressive actions that violate other countries' sovereignty in the East Sea. International public opinion believes that in this incident, the Donald Trump administration has taken a very appropriate attitude, harshly criticizing China for coercing and bullying other countries, and demanding that they immediately stop these actions to ensure regional peace and stability.

The incident once again rings the bell, in the process of resolving disputes with China, we need to be alert and need to go through bilateral and multilateral forums, based on international law. In fact, sending survey ships and escort ships to Tu Chinh Shoal makes China lose prestige in the international community. In the current context, in the US-China trade war, they really need international cooperation, so in the end, they are probably the ones who suffer the most in this incident, not Vietnam and other countries.

PV:What is the motive behind Beijing bringing the above-mentioned group of ships into Vietnam's Tu Chinh Shoal at this time, Major General?

Major General Le Van Cuong:As a researcher on the East Sea and international strategy, I think there are two reasons. First of all, it must be seen that this action was directly directed by Mr. Xi Jinping, not the policy of the locality or their oil and gas industry, to distract unfavorable public opinion in China, in the context of voices criticizing Mr. Xi's both domestic and foreign policies (power grabbing, economic recession due to the trade war with the US...).

Map of the route of the Haiyang Dizhi 8 ship in Vietnam's sovereign area. Photo: Twitter/@rdmartinson88

In addition, this may be the “red line” that Mr. Tap has set for Vietnam, “warning” Vietnam not to move forward to cooperate with the US, especially in the context of the US-China trade war. Second, in terms of foreign affairs, this is a test through which China measures the level of reaction of the US and the international community to their actions that violate international law and infringe on the sovereignty of other countries.

PV:Can the Major General give a forecast about the upcoming situation in the East Sea?

Major General Le Van Cuong:Public opinion is worried about the possibility of conflict in the East Sea. Vietnamese people, whether at home or abroad, are concerned about the issue of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the country. This is a sacred flame that has been forged through 2,600 years of history of building and defending the country. The 15 decisive battles of the nation with foreign enemies took place in 26 centuries, the balance of forces of Vietnam was always smaller than that of foreign countries, there were battles where the balance of forces of Vietnam was 1 - foreign countries 30 but Vietnam still won, creating the great strength, the everlasting vitality of the Vietnamese people, and the indomitable consciousness to protect the sacred land of the Fatherland. The international community is also concerned about the military conflict in the East Sea.

Vietnam's DK1 platform on the southern continental shelf of the Fatherland. Photo: TNO

On this issue, I think that no matter what, Xi Jinping is wise enough not to do something foolish like “giving up the bowl for the plate” and causing a military conflict with Vietnam, because if so, it will expose their aggressiveness and greed, and will be opposed and boycotted by the international community. At that time, the Chinese economy will face more risks, and the role of the Beijing leadership and government will also be easily affected. Therefore, in the next few years, I think that China will not use strong military measures against Vietnam. The strategy they are doing and will continue to do is “salami slicing”, quietly taking each step, not causing a “storm” of international opposition in the East Sea. In the coming time, Vietnam and the international community in general need to monitor China’s actions to have appropriate responses.

Of course, the Vietnamese people will never bow down to foreign powers, no matter how powerful the enemy is. The lessons of history are clear, we are ready to respond strongly if foreign countries cause trouble and violate our sovereignty.

Major General Le Van Cuong

Because of this issue, many people have the idea of ​​not cooperating with China. I think this is a wrong view, because Vietnam and China have a land border of 1,450 km, in the past it was said that "mountains connect to mountains, rivers connect to rivers" and now it is "seas connect to seas". The whole world cooperates with them, so why not Vietnam? We can take advantage of the Chinese market of 1.4 billion people, expand the market for goods, find ways to live together with China to both develop and protect ourselves. That is the only right path.

PV:Thank you, Major General!