Vietnamese people in Champasak province, Laos, have sent a letter to the Party, State, soldiers and people in the country, expressing indignation about the wrongdoing and provocation of the Chinese, which go against the traditional friendship between the two neighbouring countries.
The letter stressed that the entire Vietnamese community in Champasak and peace-loving people around the world demand that China immediately withdraw the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig and its ships from Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and ensure that it will make no further infringement in the future that could damage Vietnam's sovereignty or destabilise security and safety in the East Sea.
The Vietnamese in Champasak expressed absolute confidence in the wise leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the government, believing in the nation’s solidarity and the people and military’s readiness to protect the fatherland. They affirmed their willingness to work closely with people at home to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
* On May 18, Vietnamese people living in the Republic of Korea held a meeting to protest China’s actions. The meeting took place peacefully and in accordance with the host country’s laws, attracting the participation of many Korean friends and other foreigners as well as the attention of local media and the Korean people.
* The same day, in the US, hundreds of Vietnamese people living in Washington D.C and surrounding areas on May 18 gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to protest the Chinese oil rig.
Nearly 100 overseas Vietnamese and others from New York and Boston (Massachusetts State) attended a meeting in front of the Chinese representative mission in New York to raise their voices against China’s aggressive acts in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
* The Czech-Vietnam Association has issued a statement opposing China’s illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnamese waters to the Chinese ambassador in the Czech Republic, requesting that China immediately halt illegal activities, withdraw the rig and escort ships out of Vietnam’s waters, and not repeat similar actions in the future.
The association also gave full support to the efforts and positive solutions of the Government, authorities and citizens in Vietnam to protect its legitimate sovereignty by peaceful means in accordance with international laws.
* Around 1,000 Vietnamese people in the UK have joined a rally to protest the illegal actions of China. Participants sang the Vietnam National Anthem and songs praising the undaunted spirit of national unity.
* In Italy, the Vietnamese community and Italian friends gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Rome, calling on China to respect international law and remove its oil rig at once.
* In the Republic of Cyprus, over 1,000 people, including Vietnamese employees and international friends joined a rally in the capital of Nicosia to protest China’s illegal action in Vietnamese waters, which undermines peace, security and stability in the region. The large-scale rally took place in an orderly fashion and attracted the attention of local people.
* The Vietnamese community in South Africa on May 18 held a get-together in Pretoria to mark the 124th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh.
Participants showed their anger at China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’s waters. They affirmed their support for Vietnam’s stance and the peaceful measures taken by Party and State to protect national sovereignty as well as peace and stability in the region.
The Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese community in South Africa also raised funds to support fishermen and law enforcement forces in Vietnam.
* The same day, a meeting attended by about 200 Vietnamese was held in Luanda, the capital of Angola, to raise objections against China’s violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty.
They donated money and gifts to send to soldiers of the Vietnam Coast Guard and Fisheries Surveillance who are on duty.
Many Angolans working for Vietnamese enterprises in the country also participated in these activities.
* The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) has recently issued a statement strongly opposing China’s defiant action, which violated the sovereignty of Vietnam.
On behalf of more than 3 million Agent Orange/Dioxin victims in Vietnam, VAVA President Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Rinh, stated that China’s action was a flagrant violation of Vietnam's territorial sovereignty.
It went against agreements on fundamental principles of resolving maritime issues between the leaders of both countries, brutally trampling international law and violating the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea agreed upon between ASEAN and China in 2002, as well as threatening peace, stability, and maritime and aviation security and safety in the region and the world, and hurting Vietnam – China friendship.
The statement demanded that China remove the oil rig and escort its vessels from Vietnam's waters, and that it never repeat the same action again.
* On May 19, the Vietnam Centre for Research and Conservation of Culture and Belief held a meeting in Hanoi to protest China’s illegal oil rig placement.
On behalf of intellectuals, writers and artists at the centre, Labour Hero Prof. Vu Khieu read a statement opposing China’s serious violation, requesting that China withdraw its drilling rig and warships from Vietnam’s waters.
The statement also called on Chinese writers, artists, intellectuals and people to raise their voice to ask the Chinese Government to respect Vietnam’s sovereignty and territory and withdraw the rig and support vessels from Vietnam’s waters.
It also appealed to Governments, international organisations, writers, artists, intellectuals and the peoples of foreign nations to call on China to abide by international law to build and maintain peace, stability and development in the region.
Writers, artists, and intellectuals at the centre said that they hoped that the traditional friendship of the two peoples, as well as the good sentiment of Vietnam and China’s artistic circles, are kept and further developed to contribute to the protection of international law and territorial integrity of each country.
