Hundreds of Vietnamese in Germany, on April 24, gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate General based in Munich to protest against China’s illegal actions in the East Sea.

The rally was held by the Vietnamese Association in Munich in conjunction with other Vietnamese associations in Munich and its neighbouring localities.

The demonstrators raised banners saying Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes belong to Vietnam and called on China to respect international maritime law and convention.

The protest took place amid China’s acceleration of its construction of man-made islands and airstrips in Truong Sa, deployment of fighter jets and missiles in Hoang Sa and placement of oil drilling rigs in the waters off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin, whose delineation is still under negotiation between Vietnam and China.

The organisation board sent a protest letter to China’s Consulate General, asking the country to observe international law, ensure maritime security and freedom in the East Sea and respect Vietnam’s indisputable sovereignty over the two archipelagoes.

Hundreds of leaflets and documents introducing the land, people and territorial sovereignty of Vietnam, as well as evidence for China’s illegal activities in the sea in recent times were delivered during the demonstration.

Over the past few years, China has continued its illegal military activities in the East Sea in general, and the two archipelagoes in particular, seriously violating regional stability and maritime security, safety and freedom.

Vietnam has repeatedly raised objections to the aforesaid deeds and requested the country to put an end to them, and not to repeat such actions, while respecting Vietnam’s sovereignty and international law.

On April 7, in reply to reporters’ questions regarding Vietnam’s response to China switching on a lighthouse on Xubi Reef of Truong Sa archipelago, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh said “Vietnam requests China to immediately stop its violations of Vietnam’s sovereignty in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, seriously abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and take no more actions complicating the situation in the East Sea.”

“Vietnam, once again, affirms that the country has full legal foundations and historical evidence proving its indisputable sovereignty over the two archipelagoes,” he noted.

The diplomat said China ’s aforementioned act has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty over Truong Sa archipelago. And it is illegal and void.

VNA