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Yi Xianliang, deputy director-general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China’s Foreign Ministry¹, has said the Islands are the inherent territory of China and there are no disputes in this area.

Yi said China has been shocked by the interference from the Vietnamese side against China’s normal drilling operations there. The Chinese vessels² at the scene are only government and civil vessels, but the Vietnamese side has deployed³ many armed vessels. 

He added China’s drilling operations are being conducted in waters only 17 nautical⁴ miles from China’s Xisha Islands. Whereas the operations are about 150 nautical miles from Vietnam. Chinese oil companies started drilling operations near Xisha Islands a decade ago. 

From May to June last year, Chinese companies scanned the ocean floor prior to further drilling. Yi Xianliang noted⁵ the operations of Chinese companies in waters off the Xisha Islands fell completely within China’s sovereign rights. He said, Vietnam’s actions have violated international laws, infringed⁶ on China’s sovereignty and jurisdiction⁷, and endangered navigational freedom.