In an article posted on its Foreign Ministry website, China has defended the legitimacy of its oil drilling rig in the South China Sea, urging Vietnam to stop provocative actions. The article says the drilling operation is inside the contiguous zone of China's Xisha Islands, and falls well within China's sovereignty and jurisdiction.
The operating area is located 17 nautical miles from the baseline of the territorial waters of the Xisha Islands, and between 133 to 156 miles from the coast of the Vietnamese mainland.//The article says Vietnam has been illegally and forcefully disrupting the operation and has rammed Chinese boats more than 1,400 times as of June 7th. It also accuses the Vietnamese government of permitting anti-China riots that killed four Chinese nationals and injured more than 300 others in mid-May, causing heavy property loss.
The article urges Vietnam to bear in mind the overall interests of bilateral relations, peace and stability in the South China Sea and to immediately stop all forms of disruptions, in order to ease tensions and restore tranquility at sea.
