Vietnam Lambasts China For Military Drills In South China Sea
VIETNAM – Vietnam recently slammed the People’s Republic of China over military drills in the disputed South China Sea.
According to Rappler, the nation suspended an oil exploration project which was operated by Reposol from Spain in a location off the coast which Beijing claimed.
There was also a cancelled meeting in June involving top Vietnamese and Chinese generals regarding border issues, with both nations noting a conflict in schedule.
Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Vietnamese foreign ministry said that the nation rejected China’s action and told them to respect the nations sovereignity over the Hoang Sa archipelao (Paracels).
China, on the other hand, said that it was organizing a regular military training in the relevant maritime area found in the northwest region of the disputed sea. That is where the Paracels are located.
China repeated its claim saying that Paracels are indisputably their territory.
“Conducting drills is within our sovereignty. We hope relevant parties can see this rationally,”
In 1974, both parties made a short, bloody battle over the archipelago. More than 70 Vietnamese died in the battle and the Chinese had a de facto control over the islands.
As per the report, a week earlier, Vietnam reiterated warning for Beijing to stop the drills in the area, with foreign affairs officials meeting with the Chinese embassy staff to clarify the nation’s position.
About $5 trillion in yearly shipping trade have passed through the disputed sea. It is said to be abundant in oil and gas deposits.
Tension between two nations rose when China moved an oil rid into waters claimed by Hanoi. This drew dangerous anti-China protests across the latter. Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia also jumped in for claims in the sea.
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