(VOVworld) – The Australian newspaper on Tuesday ran an article by Vietnamese ambassador to Australia Luong Thanh Nghi, which described China’s placement of an oilrig in Vietnamese waters as provocative and an escalation of tension in the East Sea.

He said that China’s move violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights according to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea between China and ASEAN. Ambassador Nghi said that China’s oilrig, 120 to 150 nautical miles from Vietnam’s baseline, violated Vietnam’s legitimate rights and international law. He said that Vietnam had sufficient, solid historical and legal evidence of its consistent and effective management of the Hoang Sa archipelago since at least the 17^th century. Hoang Sa was occupied by China by force in 1974. Vietnam has never accepted China’s illegal occupation and has consistently asserted its sovereignty over Hoang Sa. The ambassador said that China’s claim concerning its historical rights does not conform with UNCLOS’ legal position. He added that China’s justifications for the oilrig issue were not reliable in reality or legally.