Hanoi on a dangerous course

Aggressive actions in Chinese waters are in violation of international law, damaging relations and threatening regional stability

In recent days, the Vietnamese authorities have dispatched a large number of vessels, including some naval vessels, to the waters off Zhongjian Island, forcibly disturbing the normal drilling operations of a Chinese oil rig and ramming China's civilian escort ships.

Such provocative actions not only pose a serious threat to the safety of the Chinese drilling rig and the lives of those working on it, but also infringe upon the rights of China's government vessels carrying out maritime law-enforcement tasks in the sea areas under China's jurisdiction.