In continuation of a year-long dispute over territorial waters, Vietnam accused Friday a Chinese oil survey vessel and its escorts of violating its sovereignty and demanded that China remove these ships from Vietnamese waters.
The two states have been involved for years in a dispute over the potentially energy-rich stretch of waters in the South China Sea.
On Wednesday, Reuters cited reports from two US-based think tanks informing that Chinese and Vietnamese vessels had engaged in a standoff lasting several weeks near an oil block in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
However, neither Beijing nor Hanoi have directly confirmed or denied the reports.
Over the last several days, the Chinese survey ship, Haiyang Dizhi 8, and its escorts conducted activities in the southern area of the East Sea that violated Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. This area lies entirely within the Vietnamese waters,
…Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.
Vietnam has demanded China stop the ‘unlawful activities’ and that its ships leave Vietnamese waters, she said.
She also said Vietnam called on the international community to join its efforts in maintaining peace and security in the South China Sea, which was in the common interest of all countries in the region and worldwide.
According to further analysis provided by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), the Haiyang Dizhi 8 was still active in Vietnamese waters on Friday.
