The Czech-Vietnam Association (CVA) and Czech people strongly condemn China ’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnamese waters and always support Vietnam in its sovereignty protection.

CVA Vice President Milos Kusy handed over the association’s statement opposing China ’s illegal act to President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations Le Hung Quoc in the city on May 19.

This is not only Vietnam ’s struggle against China but also that for the right in the world, the statement said, adding that no country in the globe can break international law to realise its own intention.

The association made it clear that China’s act brazenly violated Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and seriously infringed international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to which China is a signatory.

It also complicated the situation, caused instabilities and menaced maritime transport freedom in the East Sea , thus threatening peace in the region and the world.

Therefore, the CVA strongly opposes and urges China to immediately stop its illegal acts and withdraw the rig and escort ships from Vietnam ’s waters, not letting similar actions reoccur in the future.

In its statement, the association affirmed its total support for the efforts and positive measures by the Vietnamese Government, authorised agencies and citizens to protect the nation’s legal sovereignty by peaceful means in line with international law.

At the meeting, Quoc said Vietnamese forces are now exercising their utmost restraint and patently calling for China to remove the rig and escort ships out of Vietnam ’s waters in a peaceful manner.

Vietnam highly valued the Czech Republic’s support and assistance for Vietnam in its sovereignty protection, he stressed.

VNA/VOV online