Students in Thanh Hoa province protest China's placement of oil rig HD-981(Photo: VOV)

The same day, the Hai Phong City Lawyers’ Association held a meeting to protest China’s violation of Vietnam’s sea sovereignty.

On Tuesday, a large number of Vietnamese people in Bulgaria marched to protest China’s action. The Vietnamese Association in Bulgaria and the Bulgaria- Vietnam Friendship Association issued statements of protest urging individuals and organizations around the world to continue protesting China’s illegal actions and support Vietnam’s legitimate demands. The Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Association said it will protest in the international arena to defend justice and international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and will encourage China and Vietnam to settle all disputes through negotiation to preserve regional peace and stability.

Vietnamese people in Bulgaria marched to protest China’s action (Photo: VOV)

Vietnamese people living in Vladimir City, Russia, signed a letter written by the Vietnamese Association there to demand that China withdraw its oil rig and respect international law and Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty.

The Association’s President Nguyen Van Hieu said: “The Vietnamese community here strongly opposes China’s aggression. We all condemn it and are determined to defend Vietnam’s territorial integrity.”

The world continues to condemn China’s deployment of oil rig Haiyang-981 and an escort of ships including a missile frigate in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

Vietnamese in Vladimir show their love for Vietnam. (Photo: VOV)

On Wednesday, the US reiterated its call to settle the East Sea dispute through dialogue.

Rear Admiral Pascal Ausseur, Director for Asia and Pacific at the French Defence Ministry’s General Directorate for Armament, told reporters during his Vietnam visit that France was one of the first countries involved in drafting a EU statement expressing concern over China’s aggression in the East Sea. He added that France, like other European nations, hopes that the parties involved will resolve the matter through peaceful measures. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs voiced its concern over recent East Sea clashes and called for restraint and a peaceful settlement of differences.

Patrice Jorland, chairman of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association, said that the French people love peace and respect justice and will stand beside Vietnam in its fight against China’s illegal actions.

He said: “We are very concerned about China’s placement of an oil-rig within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EMZ) and continental shelf of Vietnam. China has violated international norms and Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty, so we strongly condemn the act of China.”

According to Mr. Jorland, the France-Vietnam Friendship Association has published 5 articles in the magazine France and Vietnam to help French people understand China’s ambitions toward its neighbors Vietnam.

A Vietnam-India Friendship Association statement released yesterday/ on Wednesday said that what China is doing is sure to badly damage the friendship between the people of Vietnam and China and threatens regional peace, security and cooperation so the world should join hands in strongly condemning China’s actions.

Under the title “China has set a dangerous precedent”, on the website of the Italian magazine “Limes”, an article said Beijing’s claims are baseless and China is setting a dangerous precedent.

Belgian journalist Mass MBOUP, who is an expert on the politics and development of African, Caribbean, and European countries, said China’s actions have not received any support in the international community because violating another country’s territorial sovereignty flouts international law, which is very dangerous. China’s plan to seize Vietnam territory is unacceptable.