(VOVworld) – People around the world have strongly opposed China’s illegal placement of oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Foreign media have criticized Chinese ships for seriously affecting the lives and assets of Vietnamese fishermen, particularly the case of Chinese ships ramming and sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat on May 26.

In a regular press briefing on May 27, spokesperson for the US State Department Jen Psaki said China has provoked tensions in the East Sea. The US State Department is deeply concerned over Chinese ships’ activities and called on all sides to practice restraint, reduce tensions, and resolve the problem safely and responsibly.

Also on Wednesday, the Japanese government urged China to restrain itself following information that a Vietnamese fishing boat had been sunken by a Chinese ship.

The world’s media have said that China’s actions in the East Sea are bad moves which affected China’s prestige in the international arena. Radio the Voice of America said China will have to pay a high price in national prestige and status for placing the oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, ignoring international law and order. Brad Glosserman commented in the US’ National Interest newspaper that China’s prestige has decreased because it is considered a provocative agent in the region.

Bloomberg, ABC, and Reuters also criticized the incident where the Chinese ship hit a Vietnamese fishing boat when both countries’ relations were already strained over Haiyang 981.