BEIJING
In the wake of Vietnamese and Chinese vessels colliding in the South China Sea’s disputed waters, China’s government called on Vietnam Thursday not to harass oil exploration efforts in "its own territorial waters."
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “the drilling efforts by China in Platform no. 981 are all legal, and the rig belongs to a Chinese company.”
A collision occurred Sunday between Vietnamese Sea Guard vessels and Chinese ships, which were trying to set up a US$1 billion rig owned by China's state-run CNOOC oil company.
No casualties were reported.
Beijing claims that 90 percent of the oil- and gas-rich South China Sea belongs to China, despite territorial claims by other countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
China launched exploration efforts May 2 to put up a giant oil-drilling platform.
China’s Hua accused Vietnam on Thursday of acting against basic norms and international law in its treatment of Chinese firms, and above all of a "violation of Chinese sovereignty."
She refuted the U.S. State Department’s recent statement criticizing Beijing's drilling efforts as "provocative and not serving for maintenance of the peace and stability in the region" by saying the islands are within Chinese territory whereas the U.S. and Vietnam have nothing to do with the drilling efforts.
She added that State Councilor Yang Jiechi had called Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to demand that Vietnam no longer harass China's "normal activities" on the islands.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry official Tran Duy Hai has accused Chinese ships of intentionally ramming two Vietnamese Sea Guard vessels when Vietnam’s navy tried to prevent the setting up of a new oil rig in an area claimed by both nations.
Vietnam has condemned Beijing's drilling mission in what it claims are "its waters."
The disputed area between the two communist nations fell under Beijing's control in 1972.
Vietnam has 29 armed naval and coast guard ships near the new platform, which China regards as a "display of power" aimed at forcing it to withdraw the oil platform.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
