Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Source: Internet)Hanoi (VNA) – Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said onApril 4 that China was looking to occupy more areas in the East Sea.
The continued presence of Chinese vessels around Sinh Ton island cluster revealstheir intent to further occupy areas in the East Sea, according to Lorenzana’s statement.
It was the second statement by Lorenzana in two days as he repeated calls bythe Philippines for the Chinese boats to leave Sinh Ton island cluster of theTruong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
According to Lorenzana, there were still 44 Chinese vessels in the watersdespite improved weather conditions.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a diplomatic protest thatthe swarming and threatening presence of the Chinese ships creates anatmosphere of instability and shows that China is ignoring its commitments topromoting peace and stability in the region.
Many countries in the world have showed serious concerns over China’s recentdeployment of over 200 ships around Sinh Ton island cluster in Vietnam’s TruongSa (Spratly) archipelago and requested the country to immediately bring thesevessels out of the area and end all provocations.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said that theoperation of the Chinese ships within the territorial waters of Sinh Ton Dongisland in the Truong Sa archipelago has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)’s regulations on theoperation of foreign vessels in the territorial waters of coastal nations, runcounter to the spirit and content of the Declaration on the Conduct of Partiesin the East Sea (DOC), and complicated the situation which is unfavourable forthe process of negotiations between ASEAN and China on a Code of Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (COC)./.
VNA
