Dozens of Vietnamese Icelanders gathered in front of the Chinese embassy today, and then marched to the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to express their discontent with the Chinese government’s alleged violation of Vietnamese waters for oil drilling.
MBL reports that the protesters gathered in front of the Chinese embassy at noon today, in response to a territorial dispute between China and Vietnam involving an oil rig in the South China Sea.
One of those present was Lára Hanna Einarsdóttir, who estimates that between 60 and 70 protestors were gathered at the embassy. Lára shot the video below, and also posted the text of a flyer a protestor handed her:
“China has often oppressed Vietnam, but the situation has now gotten worse since China set up oil rig HD-981 in Vietnamese waters,” the flyer reads in part. “We demand that Chinese authorities respect international law, and Vietnamese waters, and cease working on HD-981. We encourage Icelanders to show us support in this matter.”
Vísir reports that protestors marched from the embassy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they handed ministry officials a statement asking for assistance in the dispute.
The HD-981 oil rig has sparked protests and riots in Vietnam, where Chinese businesses and workers have been targeted. People’s Liberation Army’s chief of the general staff Gen Fang Fenghui has publicly stated that China has no intention of abandoning the oil rig, and has warned the US to stay out of the conflict.
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