China’s acts in Vietnam’s waters against int’l rules: Indian expert
China’s illegal placement of a drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea infringes upon the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an Indian expert has affirmed.
The act also violates Vietnam’s sovereignty, stated Vinod Anand, a senior expert of the New Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation, during his talks with the Vietnam News Agency in New Delhi, India on May 12.
China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou – 981 oil rig escorted by a fleet of ships, including military vessels, and military jets in Vietnam’s waters is an aggressive act, which could escalate tensions and be detrimental to peace and stability in the region, the expert said.
The act taken by China runs counter to international principles, he commented, suggesting the regional countries and the international community work together to compel China to abide by international principles in seeking solutions to the dispute.
The Indian expert said that the ASEAN member countries should reinforce their solidarity and work with the international community in asking for China’s participation in a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
He underlined the use of peaceful measures for the dispute.