Vietnam strongly protests and requests that China cease the
invitation of international bids for 09 oil and gas lots within
Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, said Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi on June 26.
Spokesman
Nghi made the statement after the China National Offshore Oil
Corporation invited international bidders for the lots on June 23.
The spokesperson said “First of all, it is necessary to affirm that
the area where the China National Offshore Oil Corporation put out for
international bidding lies entirely within Vietnam’s 200-nautical mile
exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in accordance with the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This is absolutely
not a disputed area.”
Nghi stressed that the openly invitation
of bids for an area in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and
continental shelf by China is an illegal activity of no value, which
seriously violates Vietnam’s sovereign rights, jurisdiction right and
legitimate national interest as well as the 1982 UN Convention on the
Law of the Sea to which China itself is a member State, complicates the
situation and causes tensions in the East Sea.
Vietnam strongly
condemns and requests that China cease the above mentioned wrongful bid
invitation, take no further actions that can complicate the situation
in the East Sea and expand disputes, strictly comply with the agreement
on the basic principles guiding the implementation of Vietnam-China sea
issues, and respect international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention
on the Law of the Sea and the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct
of Parties in the East Sea, concluded the spokesperson.-VNA