(VOVworld) – The Vietnamese community and overseas Vietnamese students in Sydney, Australia, gathered in Town Hall on Sunday to protest China’s illegal placement of Haiyang 981 oil rig, armed ships, and escort planes in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.

Vietnamese and foreign supporters gathered in front of Sydney Town Hall to protest China's illegal placement of an oil rig in Vietnamese waters. (Photo: Hong Van)

These actions violated Vietnam’s rights of sovereignty and jurisdiction in Vietnam's EEZ and legal continental shelf. More than 300 people raised Vietnam’s national flags and banners, illustrating Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, and condemning China’s actions. They called on the Chinese government to act responsibly, respect international law, and immediately withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s waters.

The same day, around 400 Vietnamese and Swedish people gathered in Triangle Square, in Malmo city, southern Sweden, to join a march to protest China’s actions. The Communist Party of Sweden sent its representatives to join the protest to express the party’s support to Vietnamese people's just struggle against China's illegal actions.

The Vietnamese community in Malaysia held a peaceful rally outside the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur to oppose China’s illegal actions in the East Sea. A representative of the Vietnamese community in Malaysia sent a letter of protest to the Chinese embassy demanding China immediately withdraw China’s Haiyang 981 drilling rig and escort ships from Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone. In the letter of protest, the Vietnamese community in Malaysia called on all Southeast Asian nations and all nations in the world to accompany Vietnamese people in fostering peace and prosperity.