Greek television broadcasts China’s illegal placement of drilling rig in Vietnam’s waters

(CPV) – Greece’s SBC Television has recently broadcast a news piece highlighting China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s waters.

Quoting Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Vu Binh, the news piece stated that the drilling rig had been placed in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Televised news repeated Ambassador Vu Binh’s comments that although Vietnam attached great importance to maintaining positive relations with China, it would engage all available peaceful and legal means to protect its legitimate interests.

The news program also highlighted Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s speech at the 24^th ASEAN Summit held in Myanmar during which he pointed out that China’s action had obviously violated international law, creating a serious threat to security and peace in one of the most important sea areas of the world.

Over the past days, the Vietnamese Embassy in Greece have met with Greek and international agencies, organizations and friends, including press agencies, to give them specific information on China’s actions in violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the East Sea, violating international laws as well as multilateral and bilateral agreements that China is a signatory of, causing tension, threatening peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.

The embassy also stressed that the Vietnamese Government and people always do their utmost to reinforce friendship between the two countries, affirming Vietnam’s views and consistent policy in addressing disputes by peaceful means in line with international laws./.