Recently, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) officially issued a Declaration protesting the illegal installation of China’s oil rig in the Vietnamese continental shelf.
In its Declaration, VCCI pointed out that on May 2, 2014, China installed its oil rig HD 981 deep into Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
China has mobilized a large force of ships and aircraft to escort the rig, and intentionally ram into Vietnamese Coast Guard and Fisheries Control ships carrying out normal activities in Vietnamese waters. China has even warned that international ships must not cruise in the area three miles from the oil rig.
Such Chinese acts go against Vietnamese sovereignty, seriously violate the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which China is a party, run counter to the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between China and ASEAN member states, and are contrary to the agreement reached between Vietnamese and Chinese leaders on the principles of settlement of disputes on the East Sea.
VCCI believes that the above Chinese acts have gravely affected Vietnamese economic interests in Vietnamese waters, directly endangered international navigation and trade and caused insecurity and destabilisation in the East Sea and the region.
On behalf of the Vietnamese business community, VCCI vehemently protests against Chinese acts deliberately violating Vietnamese sovereignty, causing immediate damages to Vietnamese political and economic interests as well as navigation and trade in the region.
VCCI demands the Chinese side to respect international law and its own related agreements, put an immediate end to its illegal acts and withdraw HD-981 oil rig and its escort ships from Vietnamese waters, and refrain from similar acts in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
In its Declaration, VCCI calls on the Vietnamese business community to take necessary measures to support Vietnamese organisations and fishermen to continue fishing activities and protect Vietnamese sovereignty and legitimate interests in the East Sea.
VCCI also calls on Chinese businesses and the international business community to urge the Chinese State to honour international law, respect Vietnamese sovereignty, comply with Chinese commitments and act responsibly to ensure stability, security and normal navigation and trade in the region.
M.T
Vietnamese
