China’s oil rig moving to Hainan: Coast Guard command

China’s oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 98, illegally placed in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, was moving north-northwest toward China’s Hainan Island at 21:03pm on July 15, according to the High Command of the Vietnam Coast Guard.

The rig and the fleet of nearly 60 escort ships were moving at a speed of 4-4.2 nautical miles per hour.

Chinese ships protecting the illegal oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981.

At 6:20am on July 16, it was 41 nautical miles from its previous position, about 163 nautical miles southwest of Hainan Island.

The Vietnamese law enforcement forces are closely watching their movement.

In early May, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

It later expanded the scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s waters.