Ships in rough seas

Forest rangers on Côn Đảo Island, in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, are familiar with a busy schedule because they not only patrol the forests, they also have to protect aquatic resources. The sky above Côn Đảo Island District has witnessed a number of whirlwinds, signalling the return of rough seas. Still, the work of rangers continues as normal. Côn Đảo National Park has a total natural area of nearly 20,000ha, including 5,990ha of forest and 14,000ha of water. The 60 forest rangers here are responsible for forest protection, marine conservation and protection of sovereignty. There were no forest violations and only nine sea violations reported in 2018, according to the Côn Đảo National Park’s management board. One day in early January, a flight from HCM City took a group of reporters from the Nông thôn ngày nay (Countryside Today) newspaper to Côn … [Read more...] about Rangers on Côn Đảo Island protect sea and forest

Some Chinese coastguard vessels deployed in the East Sea have deliberately made themselves visible to rival claimants of the contested waters by turning on tracking signals – a move analysts described as an attempt to assert sovereignty. A Chinese coast guard vessel. Photo: SCMP A report released by the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said it had identified 14 Chinese coastguard vessels broadcasting automatic identification system (AIS) signals while patrolling the Luconia Shoals, Second Thomas Shoal and the Scarborough Shoal over the past year. Commercial vessels over 300 tonnes are required to broadcast AIS signals for collision avoidance, while military and law enforcement vessels have discretion about when and where to do so, the think tank said, adding that many Chinese coastguard vessels patrolling in other parts of the East Sea broadcast the signals only when entering and leaving port. But the vessels patrolling the three shoals appeared … [Read more...] about Chinese coastguard ships ‘deliberately visible’ in the East Sea

The year 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982) and also the 25th year since Vietnam ratified the convention. Ships are docking at Truong Sa archipelago's Da Lat island. (Photo: VNA) On the occasion, Dr. Le Thi Tuyet Mai, a member of the Executive Board of Vietnam Society of International Law, Chair of Vietnam Lawyers Association Branch at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director General of Department of International Law and Treaties, wrote an article entitled “UNCLOS 1982: Overarching framework for establishing the legal order for the seas and oceans, promoting development and cooperation at sea.” The following is the full text of the article. “On June 23, 1994, the National Assembly of Vietnam adopted the Resolution ratifying the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)[2]. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of UNCLOS and the ratification and … [Read more...] about UNCLOS 1982 – overarching framework for establishing legal order for seas and oceans, promoting development cooperation at sea

A Vietnam Coast Guard ship is on mission around the DK1/15 oil rig. (Photo: VNA) Washington (VNA) – China is engaged in a long-term and consistent campaign of coercing Southeast Asian countries to abandon their legitimate rights in the East Sea, according to an American scholar. Tension has been escalating in the sea since Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 and its escort vessels returned to Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) earlier this month. China’s behaviour has become more challenging as the country has deployed more ships to the East Sea than before, said Gregory B. Poling, Director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) and a fellow with the Southeast Asia Programme at the US’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In such context, he urged Southeast Asian nations to demonstrate a clear viewpoint in protecting their rights in line with international law. Echoing Poling’s view, Prof. Stein Tonnesson from the … [Read more...] about Foreign scholars condemn China’s bullying behaviour in East Sea

 Vietnam Coast Guard ship Since China’s “9-dotted line based on historical evidence” claim was rejected by the International Court of Arbitration in 2016, China has sought a new way to justify its baseless sovereignty claim. China’s Haiyang Yizhi 8 and its escorts have regularly violated Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone in an effort to turn Vietnam’s undisputed waters into disputed waters and disrupt the legal maritime activities of other coastal states to realize its scheme of monopolizing the East Sea. China’s tactic of escalating tension Lucio Blanco Pitlo, a Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation and the Republic of Korea Study Center at Philippine’s University, says China has stepped up intervention in the legal maritime activities of other coastal states – not just Vietnam, but also the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. China has increased pressure on foreign … [Read more...] about Scheme to monopolize East Sea risks international dispute