China deployed about 80 ships including military vessels to escort the drilling rig. In a telegram sent to the President of the Chinese Vietnamese Friendship Association on Saturday, the President of the Vietnamese– Chinese Friendship Association said the situation has become extremely tense when a number of Chinese ships intentionally rammed Vietnamese law enforcement vessels in Vietnams exclusive economic zone and continental shelf threatening the lives and causing material losses for the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force and fishermen.
The President of the Vietnamese – Chinese Friendship Association asked his Chinese counterpart to raise the voice of responsibility and report to Chinese relevant agencies to outline appropriate and peaceful solutions to the situation to jointly implement agreements and awareness reached by both countries’ leaders on fundamental principles to settle sea-related issues between Vietnam and China.
The Vietnamese – Chinese Friendship Association asked Chinese forces in operation in the Vietnamese territorial waters to stop all provocative acts, withdraw its oil rig, not to complicate the situation further, and conduct negotiations to resolve differences in order to create a peaceful environment for the two countries and peoples.
