China claims unite 2 nations

Vietnam, Philippines say oil rig in disputed waters crosses line

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) meets Wednesday with Philippine President Benigno Aquino at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) meets Wednesday with Philippine President Benigno Aquino at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila.

MANILA, Philippines — Vietnam and the Philippines will jointly oppose “illegal” Chinese actions in the South China Sea, Vietnam’s prime minister said Wednesday in a rare show of public solidarity between two Southeast Asian nations wrestling with Beijing’s determination to assert its sovereignty claims in the disputed waters.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, standing beside Filipino President Benigno Aquino III after they held talks in Manila, called on the world to condemn China for causing what he called an “extremely dangerous” situation in the South China Sea by deploying an oil rig near an island that Vietnam and China both claim.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, putting it into conflict with Vietnam and the Philippines, which have rival claims.

The “president and I shared deep concern over the current extremely dangerous situation caused by China’s many actions that violate international law,” Dung said at the news conference.

“The two sides are determined to oppose China’s violations and call on countries and the international community to continue strongly condemning China and demanding China to immediately end the above said violations,” he said.

The Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, has been more vocal in opposing China than Vietnam, which has been trying to quietly resolve its territorial dispute with Beijing using ties between the two country’s communist parties. But Hanoi was incensed by the deployment of the oil rig on May 1, leading to speculation that it would shift its approach.

Last year, the Philippines filed a case against the Chinese claims at a United Nations tribunal.

Analysts have said Vietnam might now file its own appeal or join Manila’s legal challenge against China.

And Vietnam’s prime minister confirmed today that his country was considering legal action against China.

In a written reply to questions sent by The Associated Press, Dung said Vietnam would fiercely defend its territory but would never resort to military action “unless we are forced to take self-defense actions.”

“Like all countries, Vietnam is considering various defense options, including legal actions in accordance with the international law,” said Dung, without specifying.

The deployment of the oil rig has led to the most serious outbreak of tensions in the South China Sea in years.

Vietnam dispatched ships to confront the Chinese oil rig that have jostled with Chinese vessels defending it. Last week, rioting broke out in Vietnam that killed at least two Chinese workers and wounded more than 100 others.

Aquino did not mention the territorial disputes with China when he and Dung faced journalists but said they discussed how their countries could enhance defense and economic ties, adding that both governments aim to double two-way trade to $3 billion in two years. The two countries are now considering raising their ties to a “strategic partnership.”

“In defense and security, we discussed how we can enhance confidence-building, our defense capabilities and interoperability in addressing security challenges,” Aquino said.

Information for this article was contributed by Teresa Cerojano of The Associated Press.

A Section on 05/22/2014

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