The Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) leader on Tuesday voiced a strong denouncement of China for illegally placing its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Vietnam’s waters and demanded that Beijing remove the rig immediately.

>> Vietnam President affirms determination to protect national sovereignty >> Vietnam lawmaker suggests legislature issue resolution on China’s illegal rig >> Vietnam PM demands rig withdrawal in meeting with top Chinese diplomat Speaking at the closing ceremony of the seventh session of the 13th NA yesterday, NA chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, on behalf of the law-making body, announced that China’s move has boldly violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction as well as infringed upon international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea (DOC). It has also gone against high-level agreements reached between Vietnam and China on the basic principles guiding the settlement of maritime issues and deeply hurt the friendship, solidarity and neighborliness between the two peoples, he said. Due to China’s violation, Vietnam’s national independence and sovereignty, as well as peace, stability, maritime security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Vietnam Sea are being seriously threatened, Hung said. The chairman emphasized that the NA, the Vietnamese people and soldiers nationwide strongly oppose China’s infringement on its territory and demand that China withdraw its drilling platform from Vietnamese waters immediately and not repeat similar acts in the future. The NA calls on the government and the people, along with overseas Vietnamese communities, to show their solidarity and support for the Party’s and State’s policies on national sovereignty, resolutely protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity based on international law, keep peace and stability for its development, and maintain the traditional friendly relationship between the peoples of Vietnam and China. Chairman Hung also expressed gratitude to many parliaments and their members throughout the world, individuals and organizations, both at home and abroad, for their support for Vietnam and for their demand that China stop its infringement upon Vietnam’s sovereignty. Earlier, on May 21, the NA issued a statement to protest China’s oil rig deployment and requested an immediate removal of the rig. In the statement, the NA agrees to the Party’s and government’s policy to resolutely safeguard the fatherland’s territorial sovereignty based on international law.  As the tense situation in the East Vietnam Sea may go on with complicated and unforeseeable developments, the NA calls on the government and the people to show their solidarity and unanimity, maintain political stability and keep social order and security, in order to contribute to boosting social and economic development, strengthening defense and security, and expanding the external relations of the country, the statement said. Beijing has kept its drilling platform in Vietnamese waters since May 1 in spite of fierce opposition from Hanoi.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!