China is isolated because of its wrongdoing in the South China Sea.

(Baonghean)The continuous international outcry against China in recent days not only reflects the world's disapproval of China's wrongful actions but also shows that China is standing alone, with no one supporting it in illegally placing the Haiyang 981 oil rig in Vietnamese waters. China is being isolated by the international community on this issue.

The Washington Post recently published an assessment by US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, asserting that China will be isolated regionally and internationally due to its aggressive actions in the South China Sea. Rice added, “We see that in Southeast Asia, countries want to build good relations with China, but are very worried and hesitant about China’s provocative actions.” Being isolated and becoming an object of concern and opposition in the region is certainly not something China desires. Reuters reported that an Asian diplomat expressed concern that China’s actions to change the status quo could destabilize its neighbors.

Professor Jonathan London, Vietnam expert and Southeast Asia development studies specialist, City University of Hong Kong (China).

What China has done in the South China Sea in recent days, especially the illegal placement of the oil rig, followed by aggressive and arrogant actions against Vietnamese law enforcement vessels, has eroded public trust in China's long-standing "peaceful rise." The concerns of countries in the region were concretized by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' separate statement on the South China Sea issue last weekend. Both the statement from the 24th ASEAN Summit and the statement issued by the ASEAN Chair, Myanmar, after the summit, addressed the tensions in the South China Sea related to China's illegal placement of the Haiyang 981 oil rig, demonstrating that all ASEAN countries oppose China's actions. Beyond simply voicing their opposition, many analysts believe that ASEAN countries, especially those with territorial disputes in the South China Sea with China, need to unite to strengthen their voice against China. This is precisely what Professor Jonathan London, a specialist in Vietnam and Southeast Asian development studies at City University of Hong Kong (China), mentioned in an interview with a reporter from Voice of Vietnam Radio: “I believe that all countries threatened by China’s ambition to dominate the South China Sea through its absurd nine-dash line claim need to unite. Vietnam needs to work with other Southeast Asian countries to establish a common Code of Conduct and use it as a legal basis to deal with the situation and counter China.”

Not only is Vietnam isolated by countries in the Asian region, but public opinion around the world is also siding with Vietnam, opposing China. The fact that more and more countries, researchers, reputable newspapers, and people in many countries from Asia to Europe and Latin America are continuously raising their voices against China's deployment of the Haiyang 981 oil rig is clear evidence of this.

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