Addressing the summit, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung informed ASEAN member countries about the serious situation in the East Sea. Since May 1st 2014, China brazenly moved its deep-water drilling rig escorted by over 80 armed military vessels and many airplanes to Vietnamese waters and installed the rig at a location which is 80 miles deep into the Vietnamese continental shelf and exclusive economic zone prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). China's armed vessels that were escorting the rig aggressively fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many ships and injuring many people on board. This is the first time China has brazenly brought and installed its drilling rig deep into the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone of an ASEAN country, which gravely violates international law, the 1982 UNCLOS, and the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) to which China is a signatory. This extremely dangerous action has been and is directly threatening peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea.
 On May 10, 2014 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 24th ASEAN Summit held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA  Myanmar President U Thein Sein receives Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attends and addresses the plenary session of the 24th ASEAN Summit. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA  The plenary session of the 24th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA  ASEAN leaders pose for a photo at the 24th ASEAN Summit. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA |
Vietnam has exercised utmost restraint, showed every gesture of goodwill and exhausted all dialogue channels to communicate with the Chinese authorities at different levels for expressing protest and demanding that China immediately withdraw its drilling rig and armed and military vessels from Vietnamese waters. Nevertheless, up to now, China has failed to respond to Vietnam's legitimate demand. On the contrary, China has been slandering and blaming Vietnam while continuing to escalate its increasingly dangerous and serious acts of violation.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said: “We express our deep gratitude to and urgently call on ASEAN members, other countries in the world, individuals and international organizations to continue voicing their protest against the above-mentioned acts of serious violation and support the legitimate demand of Vietnam.”
Facing the on-going developments in the East Sea, ASEAN leaders agreed to raise a common voice to express deep concern over the tense situation in the East Sea and called on all parties for self-restraint and non use of force in the East Sea, settlement of disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international laws and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the SEA (UNCLOS), full implement of DOC, and the need to promptly achieve a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea to ensure peace and stability in the region and prevent the escalation of tensions.
These contents are part of the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on building an ASEAN Community by 2015 and the Statement of the Chairman of the 24th ASEAN Summit. At the same time, ASEAN leaders agreed to approve the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Current Developments in the East Sea that show solidarity and high consensus, an active role and responsibility of ASEAN for peace, stability and security in the East Sea in particular and in the region in general, strongly affirming principles of international law and of ASEAN.
It is the first time after two decades since 1995 ASEAN released a separate declaration on a complicated situation that threatens peace and maritime security and safety in the East Sea.
Besides the East Sea issue, ASEAN leaders discussed measures to enhance strong efforts to build an ASEAN Community by 2015; discussed post-2015 development orientations; agreed to continually expanding and deepening diplomatic ties of ASEAN, maintain the central role of ASEAN in the regional structure; and exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Photo: Duc Tam – VNA  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung talks with Myanmar President U Thein Sein. Photo: Duc Tam - VNA |
On the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had separate meetings with Myanmar President U Thein Sein and Indonesian President Susilo Bangbang Yudhoyono.
By VNA/VNP
