The Vietnamese people desire to live in peace and prosperity, with the respect of their neighbours, US Congressman Jason Chaffetz said in his statement released on May 16.

“China ’s unilateral deployment of a state-owned oil rig in the waters of the South China/East Sea off the Paracel Islands is deeply concerning,” he stressed.

These waters are subject to an ongoing territorial dispute between China and Viet Nam which must be resolved through peaceful negotiation in the appropriate bilateral and multilateral forums, he added.

According to the congressman, this incident is the latest in a series of actions taken by Beijing that have contributed to a growing sense of uneasiness in the region.

“I believe the US should strive to live up to its historic role of responsible leadership in the region in order to secure these blessings for both the American people and the people of the Asia-Pacific,” he said.

(Source: VNA)