Philippine defence chief criticises China for East Sea acts
Defence Secretary of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana on July 30 criticized China for what he called "bullying" actions in the East Sea and said Beijing's peaceful assurances contrast with its behaviour in the contested waters.
Defence Secretary of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana (Source: File/Associated Press)
Hanoi (VNA) – DefenceSecretary of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana onJuly 30 criticized China for what he called "bullying" actions inthe East Sea and said Beijing's peaceful assurances contrast with itsbehaviour in the contested waters.
He criticized China's increasingly assertive actions when asked to comment on ChineseAmbassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua'sassurances in Manila that Beijing won't seek hegemony in the East Sea and"will not take the first shot".
China said it does not bully people around and it follows international law,but what China is telling is not what the country is doing on the ground, theDefence Secretary said.
On this occasion, Delfin Lorenzana also criticized China for taking control ofScarborough Shoal following a protracted 2012 standoff.-VNA
The 9th annual CSIS East Sea conference took place in Washington D.C on July 24, focusing on challenges in managing disputes in the sea and international interests related to the sea.
Vietnam resolvedly and consistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) through peaceful means based on international law, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on July 25.
Vietnam actively participated in the negotiation process and building of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and has made significant efforts in enforcing the pact.
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Defence Secretary of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana (Source: File/Associated Press) 
