Vietnamese rally outside China embassy over disputed islands
HANOI — Several hundred Vietnamese protesters staged a rare demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Hanoi on Sunday to defend the national claim of sovereignty over the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands.
Waving the red-and-gold Vietnamese flag, raising their fists and shouting "Defend the homeland" and "Down with China," about 250 people rallied for one hour as police stood by before the protest was peacefully dispersed.
"We love our country. We protest the occupation of Truong Sa (Spratlys) and Hoang Sa (Paracels)," shouted the protesters, mostly students, who had gathered in Lenin Park across from the gated diplomatic mission.
The two archipelagos, considered strategic outposts in the South China Sea, have potential oil and gas reserves and rich fishing grounds.
The Spratlys are claimed in full or part by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. All claimants except Brunei have troops based on the archipelago of more than 100 islets, reefs and atolls.
The Paracels -- which Chinese troops took from South Vietnamese forces in 1974 -- are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.
The protest came after China last month set up the county-level Sansha administrative unit on Hainan island, which covers 2.6 million square kilometres (1 million square miles), mostly ocean, including the disputed isles.
The disputes stir strong passions in Vietnam, which remembers a millennium of Chinese rule and fought its last border war with China in 1979.
The two countries fought a brief naval battle in 1988 near one of the Spratly Island reefs, in which more than 50 Vietnamese sailors died.
The two communist-ruled countries normalised relations in 1991.
The issue has been hotly debated on blogs in Vietnam, and Vietnamese hackers at the weekend also defaced at least one Chinese government website with obscenities and a call to "stop invading" the islands.
"We need to do something with a long-term vision to settle this problem," said one protester, Hanoi engineering student Nguyen Duc Toan. "China is acting aggressively. We have a long history in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa."
The rally, which supported Vietnam's official stance, was tolerated by police, and local and foreign media were allowed to attend -- a rarity in Vietnam, where public protests are usually suppressed quickly.
Vietnam's foreign ministry earlier this month reiterated that it has "adequate historical evidence and sufficient legal basis to proclaim its sovereignty over both the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos."
"Vietnam has a consistent policy of resolving sea-related disputes through peaceful negotiations and in accordance with international laws and practices," foreign ministry spokesman Le Dung said.
The islands have been flashpoints for years, and the number of disputes has risen as declining fish stocks in the South China Sea have forced fishing crews from Vietnam and elsewhere to sail deeper into disputed waters.
In July a Chinese naval vessel fired at a Vietnamese fishing boat near the Spratlys, sinking the boat and killing one sailor, reports said.
Agence France Presse - December 8, 2007.
Vietnamese Hold Rare Rally Over Islands
HANOI — Several hundred Vietnamese staged a rare public demonstration Sunday to protest China's effort to claim control of two disputed island chains in the South China Sea.
The demonstrators, mostly university students, gathered near the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi and chanted "Down with China!" and "Long Live Vietnam!"
Police let the demonstration continue for about an hour before breaking it up.
The protesters were supporting the government's position that Vietnam has sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel islands, a contentious issue between Vietnam and China for years.
The largely uninhabited islands and surrounding waters are believed to have large oil and natural gas reserves. They straddle busy sea lanes and are rich fishing grounds.
Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also claim sovereignty over all or some of the Spratlys.
The demonstrators were protesting the Chinese legislature's recent ratification of a plan to create a symbolic administrative region called Sansha to manage three archipelagos, including the Paracels and the Spratlys.
"The whole world knows that these islands belong to Vietnam," said Le Duc Hung, a 24-year-old Web designer. "We must do something to show our sovereignty over these islands."
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China had "indisputable sovereignty" over the islands.
Demonstrations are extremely rare in Vietnam, where the Communist government exerts tight control over political expression.
When the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, police allowed several hundred students to protest.
Vietnamese farmers have also held occasional protests in recent years, saying the government seized their land for development without compensating them fairly.
The Associated Press - December 8, 2007.
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