China's definitely illegal action
20/6/14
On June 17, the
regular meeting between the South Asia/Far
East/South East Asia (SAFESEA) Group Ambassadors with
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium Didier
Reynders was held by the Vietnam Embassy
in Belgium, both sides updated information and assessed the regional situation
of each other and exchanged views on measures to expand relations between two
sides.
Vietnam Ambassador to Belgium Pham Sanh Chau updated
information on the case of China’s
illegal oil rig HD-981 deployment which infringed upon the exclusive economic
zone and continental shelf of Vietnam,
contrary to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and the
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). The Ambassadors
expressed cares about tensions in the
South China Sea, the parties desired to resolve the tensions by peaceful means
which in accordance with international law and UNCLOS 1982 in order to ensure
security and navigation safety in the area.
On the same day, the
Mexico-Vietnam Cooperation and Friendship Institute (ICAMV) also sent a letter to the
Vietnam Embassy in Mexico City.
The letter called on China
to respect the agreements signed between Vietnam
and the international organizations, especially the agreements that China
committed to resolve all disputes through peaceful means. ICAMV also asked the
government immediately to withdraw HD-981 rig and protecting vessels from the
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam,
cease provocative actions to restore mutual understanding environment between Vietnam and China.
According ICAMV,
since the beginning of last May, China has carried out a series of violations
of Vietnam’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the South China Sea through
unauthorized unilateral deployment of oil rig HD-981 in the Vietnam’s EEZ and
continental shelf, simultaneously deploymented many ships, boats to ram a Vietnamese
fishing boat, seriously violating the basic principles of solving problems on
the South China Sea was signed between the two countries on May 10, 2011,
contrary to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC)
signed by China and ASEAN in 2002, ignoring the 1982 UNCLOS.
Accompanying
people throughout the country towards the Paracel, on June 15, about 200
Vietnamese people living, studying and working at … along with the peace-loving
Japanese took a march against infringement upon the sovereignty of Vietnam by China.
The demonstration
took place in a peaceful atmosphere, respecting for the law of Japan
and it attracted the attention of numerous newspapers, local TV. Some Japanese
people also actively participated and shouted slogans in favor of Vietnam.
Representatives of
the group read an appeal in English and Japanese at Chinese Consulate General.
The appeal stated China
illegally invaded the Paracel Islands from Vietnam,
confirming that China had
deployed the oil rig in the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam
with a large number of ships, including
military vessels operating in this area. That action is illegal, contrary to law
and international rules, serious violations of Vietnam's
sovereignty over the Paracels, sovereign rights and jurisdiction towards the
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Vietnam. The appeal asked China to immediately stop the infringement, to
withdraw rigs and protecting vessels, to give Hoang Sa back Vietnam and respect the freedom of navigation in
the South China Sea.
All comments [ 10 ]
While the international community can be neutral on the disputes over the islands, it cannot afford to be neutral on China’s U-shaped line.
The international community has an interest and the right to have a say in the maritime claims there. China’s opposition to the “internationalization” of the East Sea issue is tantamount to an attempt to de-internationalize an international sea.
Once the East Sea has been de-internationalized, Beijing will be able to bring its strength to bear on the East Sea nations and impose its own rules on this body of water.
it is unable to rely on history and the name of history to defend territorial claims over islands amid the East Sea, and it is even unable to use the name of history to raise the U-shape claims and to seek every way to regularize that claim, regardless of clear criteria of the international law and practice.
China has intentionally taken unfair advantage of the name South China Sea (the way Western people call the East Sea) to make misunderstandings that nearly the entire East Sea belongs to China’s sovereignty.
Vietnam uninterruptedly performs its sovereignty in the East Sea.
We confirmed our longstanding sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos
If we look at the map of the East Sea, the territorial water sovereignty of each country and the international maritime order have been clearly clarified under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS).
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) is the legal foundation to solve disputes over territorial waters and continental shelves between coastal countries that are adjacent or opposite to each other.
Once a country is a member of the UNCLOS, it has to obey the entire content of this convention. That is the prerequisite for related parties to be able to negotiate and solve maritime border conflicts.
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