Vietnam is demanding China immediately stop taking actions that violate Vietnam\'s sovereignty and rights of jurisdiction over its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone as well as pay damages for past violations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga told a press conference in Hanoi yesterday.
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| The map shows the co-ordinates of the location where Chinese vessels intruded on Vietnamese waters and cut the exploration cables of a Vietnamese vessel last Thursday. |
The demand was prompted by an incident last Thursday in which Chinese marine surveillance vessels cut exploration cables of the ship Binh Minh 02, belonging to the State-owned oil and gas company, PetroVietnam Group, while the ship was conducting seismic surveys of the continental shelf of Vietnam.
"Vietnam resolutely opposes the action of the Chinese side which damaged and hindered Vietnam\'s normal exploration and survey activities on its continental shelf and in its exclusive economic zone, causing great damages to PetroVietnam," Nga said.
This action gravely violated Vietnam\'s sovereignty and rights of jurisdiction over its continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in violation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and going contrary to the words and spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed between ASEAN and China in 2002 as well as the common perception of the high-ranking leaders of Vietnam and China, she said.
Nga also rejected the remarks by the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Saturday that Vietnamese oil and gas exploration in waters "managed by China" damaged the country\'s interests and rights of management in the "South China Sea", going against the two countries\' common perceptions of the "South China Sea" issue, making the action taken by the Chinese governing body a mere act of marine supervision and law execution in the China-managed waters.
Nga countered that the area in which Vietnam was conducting explorations was entirely within the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam as stipulated by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This was neither a disputed area nor an area "managed by China ", she said, accusing China of intentionally misleading the public into regarding it is a disputed area.
Nga at the same time stressed that Vietnam always adhered to the common perception of the countries\' high-ranking leaders in addressing all disputes through peaceful measures and avoiding actions that further complicate the situation.
"There is no common perception that says China has the right to impede Vietnam\'s activities in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam," she said, reiterating that it is China \'s action that went against the common perception of the two countries\' high-ranking leaders.
Asked about China \'s nine-dashed line claim in the East Sea and a series of recent disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines, Vietnam National Border Committee vice chairman Nguyen Duy Chien said, "China\'s nine-dotted line or ‘U-shaped line\' in the East Sea is completely groundless and runs counter to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to which China subscribes. The claim has violated the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of a number of countries in the region, including Vietnam, and prompted protests from these countries. China \'s attempt to materialise this claim is in fact increasing tension in the region."
In response to journalists\' questions about Chinese leaders\' repeated proclamations that " China advocates peaceful solutions to disputes" and that "It is powerful but not hegemonic", Nga said "We hope that China will fulfil its role as a responsible power and strictly follow what Chinese leaders have declared."
PetroVietnam deputy general director Do Van Hau briefed reporters on the incident when the Binh Minh 02 was blocked and threatened and then had its cables cut by three Chinese marine surveillance vessels while conducting explorations at 12 degrees 48\'25" north latitude and 111 degrees 26\'48" east longitude, some 116 nautical miles off Dai Lanh cape in the central province of Phu Yen.
Hau emphasised that waters in which the PetroVietnam vessel was operating was deep inside Vietnam\'s continental shelf.
PetroVietnam has conducted seismic surveys in the area numerous times, and the operations of the Binh Minh 02 within the waters under Vietnam\'s sovereignty was quite normal, he said.
Hau said the Chinese ships\' cutting of the Vietnamese ship\'s cables was a deliberate and well-prepared act.
"It is impossible to cut cables at a depth of 30m beneath the sea without special equipment," he asserted. "The incident has caused considerable losses and obstructed operations of PetroVietnam. The Binh Minh 02 ship and logistics ships had to stop working in order to repair the damaged facilities."
However, Hau added, the Binh Minh 02 has since resumed normal operations after the repairs.
