Vietnamese rally again over islands disputed with China

The Straits Times, Singapore, Dec 16, 2007

HANOI - Anti-China protesters on Sunday rallied in Vietnam over disputed islands but were kept away by police from Bejing's diplomatic missions after a protest last week sparked a rebuke from China.

Several hundred demonstrators in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City marched in the long-simmering dispute over the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos in the South China Sea, which are claimed by China, Vietnam and other regional countries.

Police prevented about 300 demonstrators in the capital and around 100 in the southern port city formerly called Saigon from protesting outside the embassy and consulate of Vietnam's northern neighbour and communist ally.

Similar noisy but peaceful rallies on December 9, which supported Vietnam's official territorial claims, were tolerated by police for about one hour, triggering a diplomatic protest from Beijing two days later.

'We are highly concerned over the matter,' said China's foreign ministry after the first protest.

'We hope the Vietnamese government will take a responsible attitude and effective measures to stop this and prevent bilateral ties from being hurt.'

In the latest rally, groups of demonstrators marched through Hanoi, waving flags, shouting anti-China slogans and singing patriotic songs.

Most of the protesters wore identical T-shirts with the red-and-gold Vietnamese flag, a map of Vietnam that included the islands, and the words 'China hegemony jeopardises Asia' and 'Beware of the invasion.'

It was a similar picture in Ho Chi Minh City where about 100 demonstrators rallied at a park near the Chinese consulate.

The disputed archipelagos are considered strategic outposts in the South China Sea, have potential oil and gas reserves and rich fishing grounds. -- AFP

Source: The Straits Times, Singapore

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_187429.html