Why China describes itself a victim?

At the outset, we must say that it is a complete farce, not the righteous behavior of a regional power who bears great responsibility of ensuring peace and stability. It may also reflect the fact that China has weak legal grounds for claiming sovereignty over Viet Nam's Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

China used this mockery to deceive its citizens in order to gain their support. However, Philip Bowring, who has been a columnist for the South China Morning Post since the mid-1990s and for the International Herald Tribune from 1992 to 2011, pointed out that the China’s current behavior in the East Sea “is aggressive, arrogant and smacks of Han chauvinism and ethnocentrism” in his recent article on the Hong Kong-based newspaper.

 

“Patriotic Hongkongers should recognize it for what it is: a dangerous ploy,” Philip Bowring stressed in the report “Beijing's dangerous arrogance in the South China Sea”.

 

“If China insists on imposing its will despite neighboring countries, will lead to conflict and adversely affect the security of China,” noted Mr. Ernest Bower, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 

The second reason is that China wants  the international community to keep their tone light seeing its perverse and provocative acts in the East Sea. China also attempts to convince the world’s public that the waters where China’s drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou - 981 is stationed is a disputed area.

 

Unlike what China expected, grave concern from countries and organizations around the world came pouring out.

 

At the 24^th ASEAN Summit, all three important documents cover the East Sea issues. ASEAN Foreign Ministers especially issued a stand-alone statement on the current situation in the East Sea after nearly 20 years. 

 

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the EU, the US, Japan, the Philippines, the UK and many other countries have raised their concern over China’s unilateral acts in the East Sea.

 

The third reason for China to trumpet itself as a victim is to reinforce its weak legal grounds that it has used to claim sovereignty over Viet Nam's Hoang Sa archipelago.

 

For this reason, Pierre Schifferli, a Swiss lawyer, has advised Viet Nam to bring the case of China’s illegal installation of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 in Viet Nam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone to the United Nations Security Council and international tribunals.

 

He affirmed that based on his study of legal foundations relating to Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes, relevant international conventions and historical events, he thought China’s sovereignty claim has no legal grounds.

 

According to the lawyer, arguments by China to justify its claim are merely requests without any documents. Meanwhile, Viet Nam has sufficient legal and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, he said./.