Over 300 Vietnamese and foreign supporters raised banners in front of Sydney Town Hall on May 25, expressing their overwhelm indignation over China’s illegal placement of Haiyang Shiyou- 981 and escorting vessels in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone since early May. A rally in Sydney (Source: VNA) The gathering attracted the attention of many visitors, with most of them saying that it is a chance to express their support to Vietnam in its fight against China’s irrational claim in the East Sea. Following the demonstration, they issued a statement declaring that China’s act is a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, against the spirit of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and its agreements with Vietnam in the settlement of issues at sea. China’s aggressive acts have threatened regional peace and stability, damaged the friendship between the two peoples and directly challenged Vietnam’s national security, they said. In the document, they called on China to conform to international law by pulling its rig and ships out of Vietnam’s waters immediately and unconditionally. The Vietnamese in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia also held a similar rally and sent a letter of protest to the Chinese embassy the same morning, in which they asked China to respect its neighbouring countries, their sovereignty and international law. VNA