-(Vietnamplus 31/5) Shangri-La Dialogue opens, Abe vows support for Vietnam:The Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, opened in Singapore on May 30, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledging to support Vietnam and the Philippines in their territorial disputes with China, saying the use of force and intimidation to change the status quo cannot be justified.
-(Vietnamplus 31/5) Vietnam Defence minister calls on countries to share responsibility for peace: In order to manage risks that may cause disputes, all countries should share the same perspective on international responsibilities, especially the role and responsibility of major powers, Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh has said. Vietnamese delegation busy on sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue
-(Vietnamplus 30/5) US warns China to avoid tensions in airspace: The US has warned China against sparking tensions in international airspace after Japan accused Beijing of dangerous manoeuvres above the disputed areas in the East China Sea, known as the Diaoyu Islands in Chinese and the Senkaku Islands in Japanese.
-(VOV 30/5) Deputy FM condemns China in East Sea on CNN: In an interview granted CNN on May 29, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Vinh voiced strong opposition to China’s illegal deployment of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig in Vietnam’s territorial waters.
-(Eurasiareview 30/5) New tensions in the South China Sea: A reply to Sam Bateman: The Beijing’s action of deploying the HYSY 981 oil rig violates Vietnam’s maritime sovereign rights, endangers freedom of navigation and over flight and causes instability in the region.
-(Vietnamplus 29/5) Deputy PM talks bilateral ties with EU High Representative: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and EU High Representative for Foreign Relations and Security Policy Catherine Ashton discussed measures to promote bilateral relations during a phone conversation on May 29. –(The Jakarta Post 29/5) Another side of the dispute in the SCS
-(Vietnamplus 29/5) Vietnam: Socio-economic stability despite Chinese disruption: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has underscored that along with the protection of national sovereignty from China, ministries and local government agencies need to ensure that socio-economic development targets set earlier are completed, regardless of tensions in the East Sea.
-(Eurasiareview 29/5) Xi Jinping’s ‘Monroe doctrine’: Rebulding the middle kingdom order? The recent issues in the East and South China seas demonstrate China’s incremental pursuit of its ambition to be the dominant maritime power in the region. –(Slate 29/5) China Can Sink All the Boats in the South China Sea
-(Vietnamplus 29/5) Vietnam updates NAM meeting on China’s acts in East Sea: Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc, who led a Vietnamese delegation to the ongoing 17th Non-Aligned Movement ministerial meeting in Algiers, has updated the participants on China’s illegal placement of its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf since early May. –(Vietnamplus 29/5) Vietnamese in Australia act to support coast guards
-(The Asahi Shimbun 29/5) China approved South China Sea oil drilling in early 2014: China's top leaders decided earlier this year to go ahead with oil drilling in the South China Sea, despite being aware of potential diplomatic ramifications, according to sources.
-(VOA News 29/5) Vietnamese Fisherman Vows to Return to South China Sea: The captain of a Vietnamese fishing boat that sank Monday after allegedly being rammed by Chinese vessels vowed to resume fishing in the South China Sea.
-(VOV 29/5) Vietnamese Ambassador condemns China’s illegal actions in the East Sea: Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Cuong said China is creating facts on the ground and trying to turn an undisputed area into a disputed area, which is unacceptable.
-(Reuters 29/5) South China Sea oil dispute unlikely to have a winner: One of the lessons from recent history is that intractable disputes are rarely solved as long as one or more of the parties believe they can win.
-(Channel NewsAsia 29/5) Obama warns against "aggression" in South China Sea: President Barack Obama warned that the US was ready to respond to China's "aggression" toward its neighbours at sea, but said Washington should lead by example by ratifying a key treaty.–(The Diplomat 29/5) Amid South China Sea Tensions, Vietnam Seeks Closer Ties with US
-(Vietnamplus 28/5) New photo exhibition highlights Vietnam’s marine sovereignty: A number of new photos featuring efforts by Vietnamese coast guards and fisheries surveillance forces in protecting the nation’s sea and island sovereignty, following China’s illegal placement of its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, are on display at an exhibition in Hanoi.
-(Channel NewsAsia 28/5) China looking to use force to change status quo in South China Sea: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed concern over China's possible use of force in the disputed South China Sea. -(CNN 28/5) A dangerous dance: China, Vietnam posture in the South China Sea
-(Nhandan 28/5) US senator to raise East Sea issue at Shangri La Dialogue: US Senator Benjamin Cardin has said he will express concern on behalf of the US Congress and Government over the situation in the East Sea and China’s provocative acts, especially its recent sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat, at the upcoming Shangri-La Forum in Singapore.
-(Eurasiareview 28/5) South China Sea: China’s renewed confrontation and ASEAN options: In this scenario where Chinese foreign policy has turned distinctively belligerent and confrontational, the remaining clear options for the Southeast Asian countries are mainly two: to unite the ASEAN on the common cause of fighting Chinese hegemony, and to strengthen the multilateral processes with conflict prevention and conflict resolution mechanisms in place.
-(Vietnamplus 27/5) China urged to stop harassing Vietnamese fishermen: Vietnam has demanded China to stop its aggressive actions against Vietnamese fishermen, as Chinese vessels have been chasing them and threatening them with violence completely within Vietnam’s sea area. Video shows Chinese violations in East Sea
-(Vietnamplus 27/5) Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister welcomes US guest: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received visiting Chairman of the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee under the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Benjamin Cardin in Hanoi on May 27. –(Vietnamplus 27/5) US wishes to further comprehensive ties with Vietnam
-(The New York Times 27/5) China and Vietnam Point Fingers After Clash in South China Sea: Tensions in the South China Sea escalated sharply on Tuesday as China and Vietnam traded accusations over the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the vicinity of a Chinese oil rig parked in disputed waters off Vietnam’s coast.
-(Vietnamplus 27/5) China moves oil rig, still in Vietnam’s waters: At 5:30 am on May 27, the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou- 981, illegally stationed in Vietnam’s waters by China, moved 4 nautical miles east-northeast at a speed of 4.5 nautical miles per hour.
-(Vietnamplus 27/5) VN needs int’l support in lawsuit against China: Vice President of the Vietnam Bar Federation Truong Trong Nghia has suggested Vietnam should not take up its legal struggle against China alone; instead it needs to take advantage of international support to ensure justice is on its side, according to radio The Voice of Vietnam (VOV).
-(BBC 27/5) China ship 'rams Vietnam fishing boat' in South China Sea: A Chinese ship rammed and sank a Vietnamese fishing boat near a controversial oil rig in the South China Sea, Vietnamese officials say, amid tensions between the two nations.
-(Financial Times 26/5) Philippines president warns on Chinese expansion: Benigno Aquino, president of the Philippines, has warned that Beijing may seek to repeat its tactic of exploring for oil in disputed areas of the South China Sea, this time in waters close to its coastline. –(Huffington Post 26/5) Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea: A Burgeoning Alliance
-(Tuoitre 26/5) Vietnam tells the world about a threat in East Sea: Vietnam would like to inform the world of a threat to peace and stability and a violation of international law in the East Sea, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh told international reporters in the Philippines last week.
-(VGP 25/5) China intentionally misquotes Vietnam’s diplomatic letter: China recently intentionally misquoted a diplomatic letter of late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, addressed to China on September 14, 1958, with the aim of distorting the truth of Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.
-(Reuters 25/5) China, Japan exchange barbs over action by warplanes in East China Sea: Japan and China on Sunday accused each other's air forces of dangerous behaviour over the East China Sea, with Japan saying Chinese aircraft had come within a few dozen metres of its warplanes.-(The New York Times 25/5) Chinese flybys alarm Japan as tensions escalate
-(Tuoitre 25/5) 3 Vietnamese injured as China continues assaults on Vietnam ships: The attacks from the Chinese side also caused damage to the audio-visual equipment and antennae of eight Vietnamese ships tasked with requesting China to move their oil rig and escort vessels out of the Vietnamese waters.
-(The Wall Street Journal 25/5) Slivers of Land Crowd Disputed Waters: In many ways, the towns on the atolls of the South China Sea are just like communities elsewhere: They have houses, post offices, schools, health clinics, and citizens who use them.
-(Vietnamplus 25/5) Vietnamese abroad voice unity with homeland in East Sea row: Over 300 Vietnamese and foreign supporters raised banners in front of Sydney Town Hall on May 25, expressing their overwhelm indignation over China’s illegal placement of Haiyang Shiyou- 981 and escorting vessels in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone since early May. –(Vietnamnews 25/5) East Sea fishing continues despite rising tension
-(Vietnamplus 24/5) Indonesian President calls for peaceful end to East Sea tensions: Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on all parties concerned to solve disputes in the East Sea through peaceful means to maintain stability in Asia.
-(Reuters 25/5) As Taiwan beefs up prized South China Sea outpost, barely a peep from China: Taiwan is building a $100 million port next to an airstrip on the lone island it occupies in the disputed South China Sea, a move that is drawing hardly any flak from the most assertive player in the bitterly contested waters - China.
