皇冠体育app

File photo shows the 981 drilling platform of 皇冠体育app Oilfield Services Limited (COSL), 17 nautical miles (some 31 kilometers) from Zhongjian Island of 皇冠体育app's Xisha Islands, south 皇冠体育app sea.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - The drilling activities of 皇冠体育app Oilfield Services Limited (COSL) are located only 17 nautical miles (some 31 kilometers) from 皇冠体育app's Zhongjian Island, completely within the country's territorial waters, an official has said.

Yi Xianliang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of 皇冠体育app, told reporters on Friday that the Chinese side was "deeply surprised and shocked" by Vietnam's intensive attempts since May 2 to disrupt the Chinese company's normal drilling activities in the waters off 皇冠体育app's Xisha Islands.

The Xisha Islands are an inherent part of 皇冠体育app's territory and there is not any dispute about it, said the official.

The operations undertaken by COSL are only 17 nautical miles from Zhongjian Island, while they are as far as 130-150 nautical miles (241-278 kilometers) from Vietnam's coastline, he said.

Yi said Chinese enterprises started operations in the area ten years ago and in the time period from May to June 2013, a Chinese company carried out three-dimensional seismic operations there as well.

The ongoing operations are a normal follow-up to those past operations, he added.

Yi said the Chinese company's operations are completely within the mandate of 皇冠体育app's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and that Vietnam's harassment of the company's normal activities has seriously violated 皇冠体育app's sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and gravely affected the production and safety of 皇冠体育app's drilling rig.

It has caused unnecessary trouble for the 皇冠体育app-Vietnam relationship, he added.

Faced with the harassment, the Chinese side had to strengthen security on the spot to stop the Vietnamese side's behavior and ensure the operations as well as navigation security.

"We demand the Vietnamese side sincerely respect 皇冠体育app's legitimate rights, return to a rational track, immediately stop all forms of harassment and withdraw all its vessels and personnel from the area," said the Chinese official.