PHILIPPINES: Prime Minister says Chinese oil rig in disputed waters threatens regional peace

Record ID: 694980

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Prime Minister says Chinese oil rig in disputed waters threatens regional peace
  • Date: 21st May 2014
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MAY 21, 2014) (REUTERS) VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER, NGUYEN TAN DUNG, WALKING BESIDE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, BENIGNO AQUINO, AND SITTING DOWN TO SIGN GUESTBOOK PAGE ON GUESTBOOK WITH DUNG'S NAME DUNG RISING FROM SEAT AND WALKING TO RECEIVING HALL DUNG SHAKING HANDS WITH FILIPINO OFFICIALS AQUINO SHAKING HANDS WITH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AQUINO AND DUNG SHAKING HANDS HANDSHAKE/AQUINO AND DUNG SITTING DOWN DUNG WALKING WITH OFFICIALS INSIDE MEETING ROOM PHILIPPINE AND VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS TAKING SEATS DUNG WITH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND AQUINO WITH FILIPINO OFFICIALS DURING BILATERAL MEETING AQUINO AND DUNG WALKING TO LECTERNS DUNG AND AQUINO BEHIND LECTERNS DURING JOINT STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Vietnamese) VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER, NGUYEN TAN DUNG, SAYING: (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) "With regards to the situation in the East Sea (South China Sea), the president and I share deep concerns over the current, extremely dangerous situation caused by China's many actions that violate international law, in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and it seriously infringes on the waters across the countries. In particular, China's illegal placement of the oil rig and deployment of escort vessels to protect the rig deep into Vietnam's continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone, seriously threatens peace, stability and maritime security and safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea. The two sides are determined to oppose China's violations and call on countries and the international community to continue to strongly condemn and demand China immediately end these violations, and to fully and strictly observe international law: The 1982 UNCLOS, the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, TOC, and make efforts towards the early achievement of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea." DUNG AND AQUINO BEHIND LECTERNS FILIPINO OFFICIALS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT, BENIGNO AQUINO, SAYING: "It is my hope, Mr. Prime Minister, that all of us will remain steadfast to this shared aspiration, that by working together and even harder, by empowering our people to be partners in this endeavour and by advancing the rule of law, we can truly build a Southeast Asia that is a wellspring of opportunity and a foundation of peace and stability." VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS STANDING DUNG AND AQUINO SHAKING HANDS
  • Embargoed: 5th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACY39S4MLG593T6CSRP8PIYO70
  • Story Text: China's positioning of its biggest mobile oil rig in disputed waters in the South China Sea seriously threatens peace, stability, and maritime safety, Vietnam's prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, said on Wednesday (May 21), urging the international community to condemn Beijing's actions.
    Tensions in the region have flared up in recent weeks over a group of islands in the South China Sea which is potentially rich in natural deposits due to an increasingly assertive China.
    China claims almost the entire South China Sea, rejecting rival claims to parts of it from Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
    Anti-Chinese violence flared in Vietnam after Chinese state oil company CNOOC deployed an oil rig 240 km (150 miles) off the coast of Vietnam in waters also claimed by Hanoi.
    After holding talks with Philippine President Benigno Aquino during a two-day trip to Manila, Dung said the move threatened peace in the region.
    "With regards to the situation in the East Sea (South China Sea), the president and I share deep concerns over the current, extremely dangerous situation caused by China's many actions that violate international law, in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and it seriously infringes on the waters across the countries. In particular, China's illegal placement of the oil rig and deployment of escort vessels to protect the rig deep into Vietnam's continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone, seriously threatens peace, stability and maritime security and safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea. The two sides are determined to oppose China's violations and call on countries and the international community to continue to strongly condemn and demand China immediately end these violations, and to fully and strictly observe international law: The 1982 UNCLOS, the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, TOC, and make efforts towards the early achievement of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea," he said.
    Aquino urged all the parties involved to resolve the issue peacefully.
    "It is my hope, Mr. Prime Minister, that all of us will remain steadfast to the shared aspiration, that by working together and even harder, by empowering our people to be partners in this endeavour and by advancing the rule of law, we can truly build a Southeast Asia that is a wellspring of opportunity and a foundation of peace and stability," he said.
    Anti-China protests in Vietnam have spiralled into arson, destruction and looting of Chinese-owned factories, and other businesses mistaken for being Chinese.
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