Lawyers tell China to be responsible
HA NOI — The Viet Nam Bar Federation has released a statement opposing China's violation of international laws through the establishment of the so-called Sansha City, which comprises Viet Nam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.
"Viet Nam has full legal and historical evidence to assert its indisputable sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes. China's decision to establish the so-called Sansha city infringes Viet Nam's territorial sovereignty over the archipelagoes and seriously violates basic principles of international law and the United Nations Charter," says the federation statement.
The federation also strongly condemns and opposes the invitation for bids for nine lots in the East Sea by the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
It said these lots were situated within Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, about 13 nautical miles from Viet Nam's Phu Quy island at the closest point and about 60 nautical miles from Viet Nam's shore.
The statement said China's action seriously infringed Viet Nam's sovereign and jurisdictional rights over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as stated in Articles 55, 56, 57, 76 and 77 of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It also was contrary to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) reached among the g overnments of the ASEAN nations and China, said the statement.
The Viet Nam Bar Federation demands that China immediately abolish the decision to set up the so-called Sansha city and its wrongful invitation for bids, adding that it completely supports the statements released by the Foreign Ministry spokesperson on June 21 and 26 on these issues.
The federation said China must respect and strictly implement its commitments as specified in the DOC.
It also called on China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to behave in a responsible manner and in line with the UN Charter and international laws, especially the UNCLOS 1982. — VNA/VNS