The current East Sea security situation was the main theme of a talk held by the Vietnam National Museum of History on June 20.
Speaking at the event, attended by many people from different walks of life, Major General Le Van Cuong, former head of the Strategy and Science Institute under the Ministry of Public Security, elaborated on issues related to China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig deep inside Vietnam’s waters.
He also raised several hypotheses on the plans and moves of the Chinese Government from now to August 15, and provided participants with information about Vietnam’s policies of solving the current tensions as well as the international community’s backing for Vietnam.
The talk aimed to raise public awareness of the East Sea situation, contributing to increasing patriotism, solidarity and responsibility among Vietnamese people, particularly the youth, in the struggle to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
At the beginning of May, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring people on board.
VNA
