Chinese warshipspatrolling the site during the day increased to six, with two operatingin the east, two in the west and the others taking defensive positionsto the south of the rig, reported the department.
Atthe same time, about 36 coast guard vessels, 21 cargo ships andtugboats and 44 fishing vessels were also detected, together with oneY-8 reconnaissance aircraft flying about 300-500m above the rig, statedthe department.
Chinese fishing vessels, accompaniedby two coast guard ships, continued to show their aggression bycircling and ramming Vietnamese fishing boats conducting their normalcatching activities in their traditional fishing grounds in Vietnam’swaters about 38-40 nautical miles from the rig, it said.
The Chinese fleet formed groups and organised circles around the rigto prevent Vietnamese law enforcement vessels from approaching, keepingthem about 11 nautical miles from the rig.
They also aggressively rammed and fired water cannons at Vietnamese coast guard and fishing vessels, said the department.
However, Vietnamese law enforcement authorities resolutely maintainedtheir intensive activities close to the rig to demand China stop theirillegal actions and remove the oil rig immediately from Vietnam ’swaters, according to the department.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese fishermen continued their work despite China ’s intimidation, it said.
At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig aswell as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft toVietnam’s waters and positioned it at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 secondsnorth latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economiczone.
On May 27, China expanded the rig’s operation by moving it to 15degrees 33 minutes 22 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 inVietnam minutes 36 seconds east longitude, 25 nautical miles fromTri Ton Island’s Hoang Sa archipelago and 23 nautical mileseast-northeast from the old location.
On June 3, the oil rig moved yet again to another new position, at 15degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes11 seconds east longitude. The new position is still completely withinVietnam ’s continental shelf.-VNA