VietNamNet Bridge – More than 200 Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in Canada on May 31, mainly students, participated in a nonviolent march demonstrating their opposition to China’s illegal and brutal actions in the East Sea.

They walked more than 2km from Parliament Hill to the Chinese Embassy with posters and national red flags, affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spartly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelagos and asking China to remove the Haiyang Shiyou 981-drilling oil rig out of Vietnam’s waters.

They also displayed placards and banners calling China’s action repugnant and demanding China not use force to handle disputes, apologise to Vietnam for unilateral provocation and compensate for economic losses.

Demonstrators said they wanted to send a message to China that Vietnam and the international community are in this for the long haul, prepared to pay whatever price is necessary in the struggle for justice, peace and stability in the region and the world.

*** More than 300 OVs in Hong Kong on June 1 rallied against China’s illegal oil rig placement in Vietnam’s territorial waters.

Most demonstrators wore red T-shirts with Vietnamese national red flags and words “Towards the East Sea”.

They raised posters protesting against China’s undeniable violations in the East Sea and asking the international community to support Vietnam’s battle against China’s cruel incursion into Vietnam’s sovereign waters and expansionist policies.

They brought a letter written in the blood of more than 50 people, demanding China to withdraw the drilling oil rig of out Vietnam’s waters. It also shows that Vietnamese people love peace and oppose war.

The letter will be delivered to the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

*** Vietnamese Ambassador to Turkey Nguyen The Cuong on May 29 held a meeting with six Turkish parliamentary members representing the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP).

In addition to discussing measures to boost bilateral cooperation in the future, Cuong briefed them on China’s illegal placement of drilling oil rig in Vietnam’s waters, as well as Vietnam’s consistent policy of settiling the territorial dispute by peaceful means.

He asked Turkish parliamentarians and people to support justice for Vietnam.

Idris Sahin, AKP member and President of the Turkey-Vietnam Parliamentarian Group, stressed that Turkey closely follows the lastest developments in the East Sea and that Turkey supports Vietnam because they realise the illegitimacy of China’s actions.

They said they will publish documents that the Ambassador provided to parliamentarians and people, to help them better understand the issues.

*** An authorised representative from OVs in Magnhitogorsk City, Cheliabinsk province, Russia, arrived at VOV online headquarters in Hanoi on June 2, handing over more than VND15 million to support fishermen whose ships were attacked and sunk or damaged by Chinese vessels.

The money was raised in Mid-May from OVs and friends from Russia, Tadkizistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan and one Chinese person. It will be personally delivered to fishermen within the next few days.

Vietnamese in Sweden protest China’s acts in East Sea

Continuing the peaceful protests against China seen in Sweden last week, nearly 300 Vietnamese students and their Filipino peers took to the streets of Stockholm on June 1, waving banners demanding that China remove its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 from Vietnam’s waters.

Demonstrators made their way through thoroughfares before stopping in front of the Chinese embassy in the capital and playing pre-recorded speeches in Vietnamese, English and Swedish denouncing the illegal presence of the Chinese rig.

In early May, the rig was placed at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 6 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

On May 27, China moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 22 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 36 seconds east longitude, still well within Vietnam’s waters.

The rally came during peak time in Sweden’s tourist season, with many foreign onlookers experiencing the rally.

Earlier on May 29 in Bulgaria, Ambassador Le Duc Luu gave a full account of the latest developments in the East Sea to 12 members of the Bulgaria – Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group, at the request of its Chairman Dimitar Dubov.

The group calls on China to adopt every measure to ease tension and curb any unilateral act that potentially undermines peace and stability in the region, the diplomat said.

He also urged China to respect the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, to which it is a signatory.

According to him, all parties concerned should conduct negotiations to settle the disputes by peaceful means, ensuring safety, security and maritime freedom in the East Sea.

Ever since the tensions began, Vietnam has exercised the utmost restraint, shown every gesture of goodwill and exhausted all dialogue channels to communicate with Chinese authorities of different levels in order to express protest and demand China immediately withdraw its rig and armed and military vessels from Vietnam’s waters.

Nevertheless, up to now, China has failed to respond to Vietnam’s legitimate demand. On the contrary, it has been slandering and blaming Vietnam while continuing to escalate the use of force and violations in an increasingly dangerous and serious manner.

By encircling, chasing, ramming and spraying Vietnamese boats, they have injured many sailors and fishermen, threatening their lives.

On May 26, Chinese ship 11209 sank a Vietnamese fishing vessel while it was operating normally in its usual area near Hoang Sa archipelago.

VOV/VNA/VNN