Vietnam brings gripe against China to UN

By: Matikas Santos - 11 years ago

Vietnamese Foreign Deputy Minister Pham Quang Vinh (right) says they have written to the UN about the dangers of China’ recent moves in the South China Sea including the deployment of an oil rig. MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines —Vietnam has informed the United Nations (UN) about the dangers of China’s deployment of an oil rig and escort ships in Vietnamese maritime zones and will seek possible measures under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We are communicating a danger to peace and stability and a violation of international law, including UNCLOS, to all the world, to all countries, to the international community so we have informed UN as well as we have informed ASEAN,” Vietnamese Foreign Deputy Minister Pham Quang Vinh said in a press conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Thursday.

Vinh however would not give a clear statement on whether it would file a similar arbitration case as the Philippines has done or file a separate case.

“We are pursuing peaceful settlement of such kind of things and we will continue to do so in accordance with international law including measures under UNCLOS,” Pham said.

“The current situation is a real danger to peace, stability, and maritime security in the area. With the deployment of massive numbers of ships of China, including armed military ships, including airplanes, this situation, if not stopped, then it will be a real danger to maritime security,” he said.

China previously said that it has indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea including the Paracel Islands where it deployed its oil rig escorted by military ships.

Vietnamese coast guard vessels figured in incidents of water cannon firing with Chinese vessels as they tried to stop the oil rig from being deployed.

Philippines is also locked in a maritime dispute with China over the Spratly Islands that are being claimed by China as part of its nine-dash line claim.

Philippines has challenged China’s claim by filing an arbitration case before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). China has refused to participate in the proceedings.

“We need to work together to have a collective voice in order to have an end to this [situation],” Pham said.