Overseas Vietnamese around the world on May 18 organised massive ralliesto protest China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’sexclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
Inthe Republic of Korea (RoK), nearly 2,000 Vietnamese carrying thenational flag and banners marched streets in the southern city of Busan,demanding China to immediately recall its Haiyang Shiyou-981 fromVietnam’s waters.
They were joined by many Koreans and foreigners, and the crowd swelled to 3,000 by noon.
The demonstrators also sent a protest letter in Vietnamese, English,Korean and Chinese to the Chinese Consulate General in Busan.
Meanwhile, about 300 people, mostly students, held a sitting protestnear the Chinese Embassy in Seoul from 12h-14h the same day. Theprotest’s organising board also sent a protest letter to the ChineseEmbassy.
At the same time, another crowd of about2,000 Vietnamese people from northern localities of the RoK gatheredabout 800m from the Chinese Embassy, turning the area into a sea ofred-and-golden-star flags.
A rally was alsoorganised about 100m from the Chinese Consulate General in the RoK’scentral province of Gwangju with the participation of about 300Vietnamese.
All the rallies took place in peace and order in accordance with the host country’s law.
In Italy, the Vietnamese community and Italian friends also took tothe streets to protest China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig inVietnamese waters.
They gathered in front of theChinese Embassy in Rome , shouting slogans and holding up bannerscalling on China to respect international law and remove its oil rigout of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf atonce.
In their letter of appeal read before thecrowd, they emphasized that China’s placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981in Vietnam’s waters as well as its provocative actions of attackingVietnam’s Coast Guard and Fisheries Surveillance ships seriouslyviolated Vietnam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction.
China’s move also infringed international law, the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2002 Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea between China and the ASEAN,intensifying tension in the East Sea and harming peace, stabilityand security in the region, said the letter.
TheAssociation of Vietnamese Students in Italy also issued a statementcondemning China’s perverse acts and asking the country to avoid actsthat can harm regional peace and stability.
RobertoTofani, an Italian taking part in the rally, said China’s unilateral actof sending its oil rig to Vietnam’s waters is a provocative move withbad intention. He added that although China and Vietnam have committedto solve all disputes by peaceful measures and cooperation, in reality,China has acted on the opposite way.
Participationsat the rally also called on peace-loving people around the world toraise their voice against China ’s illegal move.
The same day, a meeting attended by about 200 Vietnamese was held inLuanda, the capital of Angola, to raise objection against China’sviolation of Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Massiveprotests were also organised in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberraand the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne on May 17 and 18.Hundreds of protesters, including many Australians, carried bannersdenouncing China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig in Vietnam’s watersand calling on the Chinese government to act with more responsibilityand respect for international law.
John Hamilton, alecturer at the Victoria University, said Vietnam is not alone in thecountry’s struggle against China’s irrational acts in the East Sea.
On May 18, overseas Vietnamese in South Africa also held a meeting toshow their anger at China’s illegal placement of its oil rig inVietnam’s waters.-VNA
Inthe Republic of Korea (RoK), nearly 2,000 Vietnamese carrying thenational flag and banners marched streets in the southern city of Busan,demanding China to immediately recall its Haiyang Shiyou-981 fromVietnam’s waters.
They were joined by many Koreans and foreigners, and the crowd swelled to 3,000 by noon.
The demonstrators also sent a protest letter in Vietnamese, English,Korean and Chinese to the Chinese Consulate General in Busan.
Meanwhile, about 300 people, mostly students, held a sitting protestnear the Chinese Embassy in Seoul from 12h-14h the same day. Theprotest’s organising board also sent a protest letter to the ChineseEmbassy.
At the same time, another crowd of about2,000 Vietnamese people from northern localities of the RoK gatheredabout 800m from the Chinese Embassy, turning the area into a sea ofred-and-golden-star flags.
A rally was alsoorganised about 100m from the Chinese Consulate General in the RoK’scentral province of Gwangju with the participation of about 300Vietnamese.
All the rallies took place in peace and order in accordance with the host country’s law.
In Italy, the Vietnamese community and Italian friends also took tothe streets to protest China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig inVietnamese waters.
They gathered in front of theChinese Embassy in Rome , shouting slogans and holding up bannerscalling on China to respect international law and remove its oil rigout of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf atonce.
In their letter of appeal read before thecrowd, they emphasized that China’s placement of its Haiyang Shiyou-981in Vietnam’s waters as well as its provocative actions of attackingVietnam’s Coast Guard and Fisheries Surveillance ships seriouslyviolated Vietnam’s sovereign right and jurisdiction.
China’s move also infringed international law, the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2002 Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea between China and the ASEAN,intensifying tension in the East Sea and harming peace, stabilityand security in the region, said the letter.
TheAssociation of Vietnamese Students in Italy also issued a statementcondemning China’s perverse acts and asking the country to avoid actsthat can harm regional peace and stability.
RobertoTofani, an Italian taking part in the rally, said China’s unilateral actof sending its oil rig to Vietnam’s waters is a provocative move withbad intention. He added that although China and Vietnam have committedto solve all disputes by peaceful measures and cooperation, in reality,China has acted on the opposite way.
Participationsat the rally also called on peace-loving people around the world toraise their voice against China ’s illegal move.
The same day, a meeting attended by about 200 Vietnamese was held inLuanda, the capital of Angola, to raise objection against China’sviolation of Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Massiveprotests were also organised in front of the Chinese Embassy in Canberraand the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne on May 17 and 18.Hundreds of protesters, including many Australians, carried bannersdenouncing China’s illegal deployment of its oil rig in Vietnam’s watersand calling on the Chinese government to act with more responsibilityand respect for international law.
John Hamilton, alecturer at the Victoria University, said Vietnam is not alone in thecountry’s struggle against China’s irrational acts in the East Sea.
On May 18, overseas Vietnamese in South Africa also held a meeting toshow their anger at China’s illegal placement of its oil rig inVietnam’s waters.-VNA
