VN protests China’s illegal drilling rig in its waters

Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Hai Binh - Photo: VGP

The Ministry’s Spokesperson Le Hai Binh said that the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration on May 3 announced that the drilling rig HD-981 is operating in a location of 15 o 29’58’’ North latitude and 111 o 12’06’’ East longitude from May 2 to August 15.

The operation location of the announced drilling rig is totally within the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of Viet Nam, some 120 nautical miles from Viet Nam’s coast, Mr. Binh said.

He affirmed that Viet Nam has full historical evidences and legal grounds to prove its sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos as well as sovereign right and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea./.

By Huong Giang