The Vietnamese community in Angola have raised 58,000 USD in their recent protest against China’s illegal move to station its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 in Vietnam’s waters.

The sum will be granted to coast guard and fisheries surveillance forces at home who are safeguarding national sovereignty at sea.

In New Zealand on July 7, Vietnamese compatriots gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Wellington, and staged peaceful marches along Lambton Quay street, and Parliament and Government Houses, raising Vietnam national flag, posters and banners asking China to withdraw its rig out of Vietnam’s waters immediately.

It had been the second demonstration since China dispatched its rig and a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters in early May.

The rig was positioned at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.

 On July 8, China mobilised an electronic reconnaissance plane to oversee the operation of Vietnamese law enforcement ships. It still kept 106 ships of various kinds around its oil rig, including 46 coast guard, 14 cargo, 27 fishing ships, 14 tugboats, and five military vessels.

VNA