(VOVworld) – About 1,000 Vietnamese people in France joined a peaceful demonstration in Trocadero square in Paris on Friday to protest China’s placement of oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Vietnamese associations in France organized the protest to encourage Vietnamese people in France to stand by people inside the country.

Besides overseas Vietnamese, there are many French people who supported Vietnam in its past national resistance wars. Michel Strachinescu was a driver for Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh when she was in France to sign the Paris Accord. “I continue to support Vietnam. For me, Vietnam is a great nation and world symbol of fighting for national independence and freedom. Hoang Sa archipelago and sky belongs to Vietnam. It’s unarguable. China has no right to violate and place the oil rig. Vietnam was suffered from many wars. Stop raising war and invasion in Vietnam. China’s violation is unacceptable.”

Vietnamese people in the US are preparing for a march and collecting signatures on a letter to be sent to the US government, congress, and organizations to force China to stop its illegal action. David Huy Ho, President of the Vietnamese Businesspeople in the US, said: “As long as China maintains the oil rig in Vietnam’s waters, we will continue to protest. Initially, we’ll rally Vietnamese people, then foreign friends. We hope more people from many countries will take part in our activities so all people and Chinese will know that the world supports Vietnam and people of all nations back Vietnam.”

The Association of Vietnamese Youth and Students in the US sent a letter to President Barack Obama and senior officials of the Senate and government to denounce China’s violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. On Friday, they raised fund to support soldiers in Hoang Sa archipelago.