(Photo: Deputy Prime Minister- Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh)
On May 6, 2014, Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh had a telephone conversation with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi concerning HD-981 oil rig and a lot of Chinese vessels operating in the area belonging to 143 oil lot of Vietnam’s continental shelf since May 1. This is an unacceptable act.
During the telephone conversation, Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh stressed that China’s unilateral bringing of its HD-981 oil rig and a large number of ships, including military ships to operate in this area is illegal, running counter to the international law and practices, seriously violating Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoàng Sa (Paracel) archipelago, its sovereignty right and jurisdiction of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
This action has made negative impact on the political trust and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, hurting the Vietnamese people’s sentiment. Viertnam cannot accept this and vehemently protest against China’s action; request China to withdraw its HD-981 oil rig and all of its escort ships from the area and sit down to together negotiate to iron out the differences around this issue.
Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that Vietnam has got all legal and historical basis to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes and its sovereignty right and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
He said that Vietnam will take all necessary, suitable measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests. At the same time, Vietnam has always expressed its good-will, persistently settling the differences through negotiations and dialogues and other peaceful means in accordance with the common awareness of the senior leaders of the two countries; Vietnam has agreed to the fundamental principles guiding the settlement of the sea issue in conformity with the stipulations and realities of international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea without letting this issue do harm to the political trust and cooperation between the two sides.
Diplomatic Note requests China to withdraw its oil rig
Photo: The position of HD-981 oil rig has been illegally placed deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone
Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister, head of the Vietnamese delegation to negotiate the territorial boundaries Hồ Xuân Sơn had the telephone conversation with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister, head of the Chinese delegation Liu Zhen Dan to negotiate the territorial boundaries to exchange the talk seriously about the said incident. On the same day, a representative of the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam met with a representative of the Hanoi-based Chinese Embassy and handed a diplomatic note of the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam to the Foreign Minisgry of China.
The note pointed out that China is requested to “withdraw immediately its said oil rig together with the ships, equipment and relevant personnel from the area of Lot 143 in Vietnam’s continental shelf and should not let the similar action happen”.
The note affirms: “Vietnam has attached greatest importance to the friendly relations and cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnership with China and is ready through the bilateral negotiation mechanisms to resolve peacefully all the disputes and differences on the sea between the two countries on the basis of international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Agreement on the fundamental principles guiding the settlement of the sea issue between Vietnam and China”.
Ho Chi Minh City Sea Association lodges protest against China
The Ho Chi Minh City Sea Scientific, Technical and Economic Association (Ho Chi Minh City Sea Association in short) lodges its protest against China for setting up its oil rig and protection forces to encroach on Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
The Association says: “We demand that the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) stop immediately all of its illegal actions and withdraw its HD-981 oil rig from Vietnam’s continental shelf. We also call on the entire Vietnamese people at home and abroad to unite to struggle against the Chinese side’s policies and actions of a big country to oppress the small country with a view to defending the sacred sovereignty over territories, sea and air spaces of Vietnam”./.
