(VOVworld) – Vietnamese in Austria staged a protest last week against China’s increasing aggression since it illegally deployed oil rig Haiyang-981 inside Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf. The protest was carried out on main streets in Vienna, at Karlsplatz (Charles' Square), and at the Chinese embassy. Protesters sang Vietnam’s national anthem, hoisted Vietnamese flags and banners in multiple languages to demand that China respect international law, withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s waters, and end its invasion of Vietnam’s territorial waters. They displayed two enormous maps documenting China’s illegal acts in the East Sea and distributed 500 maps of Vietnam, asserting Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

Vienna streets turn red with Vietnamese flags and banners raised by protestors. (Photo: VOV)

They gathered opposition signatures to deliver to the Chinese Embassy in Vienna, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and the ASEAN Committee in Vienna.