(VOVworld) – The world community has criticized China’s placement of drilling rig Haiyang-981 in Vietnamese waters. At a meeting to get updates on the issue in Hanoi on Tuesday, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and representatives from international organizations and NGOs in Vietnam expressed their support for Vietnam and its stance on defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Delegates said that based on the UN Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, China had blatantly violated international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). The move impacted political trust and cooperation between the two countries and stirred distrust among Vietnamese people, affected the international community as well as regional and global peace and stability. Kim Young Shin is Deputy Director of the Vietnam-Republic of Korea Culture Exchange Center: “Korean people are sympathetic to the people of Vietnam. Today’s meeting provided foreigners working and living in Vietnam with updates on the current situation. Vietnam is calling for international support and this is an important diplomatic measure. But to be more effective, I think that Vietnam should establish a website in many languages to gather domestic and world opinions. This will aid Vietnam’s communication.”

In addition to communication on the diplomatic front, Vietnam does not rule out bringing the issue to the UN Security Council, according to Greig Craft, former President of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation: “I think that’s useful, absolutely because the UN is where you can debate whether it’s always right or wrong or not strong enough but the UN is a global body that all respectable nations are members of. So I think it’s very important. I think when countries act outside the boundaries of normal behaviors, that’d be another way that actions can be taken against, in this case, China.” 

Representatives of many foreign NGOs in Vietnam applauded Vietnam’s conduct regarding China’s behavior. Elizabeth working for an Australian NGO in Vietnam said: “The international NGO community ever came for diplomatic resolution, involves non-violence and a diplomatic resolution to this situation. I think Vietnam using all available channels and ASEAN’s very involved. I’m from the international NGO community and we support the efforts.”

A joint communiqué from the foreign NGOs in Vietnam expresses their deep concern over China’s placement of drilling rig Haiyang-981 in Vietnamese waters and calls on all parties to pursue negotiations in line with international law.