Hundreds of Vietnamese Stage Anti-China Protest (Hanoi, June 5th 2011)

HANOI, Vietnam — Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Sunday in Vietnam's capital in a rare protest demanding that China stay out of their waters following a spat involving a Vietnamese oil-drilling research boat in the South China Sea.

The group of mostly young people demonstrated in front of the Chinese Embassy, many wearing Vietnamese flag T-shirts and carrying signs that read, "Stop Chinese invasion of Vietnam's islands." After about 30 minutes, they were dispersed by police. They then marched through the streets toward central Hanoi's landmark Hoan Kiem Lake, singing the national anthem and shouting anti-Chinese messages.

The protests follow a May 26 incident when a Chinese patrol boat allegedly destroyed the cable on a state-owned PetroVietnam boat conducting seismic research some 120 nautical miles off Vietnam's central coast.

Clashes are common in disputed areas of the sea claimed by both countries, but Hanoi has responded feverishly to this incident, saying it occurred well within the 200 nautical miles guaranteed to Vietnam as an exclusive economic zone by international law.

China has accused Vietnam of undermining its interests and rights within its waters.

"It is neither a disputed area nor is it an area managed by China," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga said recently in response to China's statement about the incident. "China has deliberately misled the public into thinking that it is a disputed area."

A number of stories have been published in state-run media blasting the incident as an attack against Vietnam's sovereignty and accusing China of increasing regional tensions. Several well-known scholars have called on Vietnam to take the case to the United Nations.

Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie said during a speech Sunday at an Asian security conference in Singapore that China has been working through Southeast Asian trade pact ASEAN to negotitate sea disputes in the region.

"China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea," Liang said. "At present, the general situation in the South China Sea remains stable."

Protests are very rare in Vietnam, where the one-party Communist state does not tolerate any form of challenge to its rule.

Associated Press writer Alex Kennedy in Singapore contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2011 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/pictures/2011/06/110605_protest_gallery.shtml
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63693626@N03/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• protest
• hanoi
• vietnam
• spratly
• 2011
• truong sa
• bieu tinh
• against china

[BarAndCar]

@MrMottya What is wrong with your STUPID, ILLITERATE Chinese dickhead? Do you know how to read the title and do you have the ability to comprehend a video clip?

[T4VIETNAMcom]

WHO ARE YOU? Why arrest me? What have I done wrong? Why beat me without the slightest mercy? Why scold me in the language of my people? Why consciously take orders from China? To keep me from protesting, opposing China's invasion. Your hands are stained with blood of your relations. I CANNOT SIT STILL While Vietnam collapses and my people sink into a thousand years of darkness. My children and the next generation deserve a future WHERE WILL OUR ROOTS BE WHEN VIETNAM IS NO LONGER IN THIS WORLD?

[Redtiger597]

Lol fk u Vietnamese bitches we will own u always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PhiloAmericana]

Fuck China. America supports the Vietnamese and the other regional countries in their claims. China will respect international laws and norms.

[HanZeroon]

@TrueKings100 lol what are you 10? a pair of gold desert eagle and lexus?you're so retar.ded. no body would buy that kindda piece of sh!t, if you wanna lie you should at least try to lie. btw you can suck my dick lil viet :).

[HanZeroon]

@TrueKings100 lol, calm down don't jizz all over your sister's face cause i'm right. But yeah loser, get and brain and start to reean sum ingrish you viet fuck! :)

[MrMottya]

What is wrong with those STUPID vietnamese???

[TrueKings100]

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[TrueKings100]

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[HanZeroon]

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