The operation of the HYSY 981 drilling rig: Vietnam's provocation and China's position

Editor's note: The Foreign Ministry released documents making clear Vietnam's provocation and China's stance regarding the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Sunday. Following is the full text:

I. The operation of the HYSY 981 drilling rig

On May 2, 2014, a Chinese company's HYSY 981 drilling rig started its drilling operation inside the contiguous zone of China's Xisha Islands (1) for the purpose of oil and gas exploration. With the first phase of the operation completed, the second phase began on May 27. The two locations of operation are 17 nautical miles from both Zhongjian Island of China's Xisha Islands and the baseline of the territorial waters of the Xisha Islands, yet approximately 133 to 156 nautical miles away from the coast of the Vietnamese mainland.