Vietnamese in Germany protest China's militarization of contested waters

More than 100 Vietnamese nationals living in Germany took part in a demonstration on Sunday opposite Frankfurt's central station to protest against China's militarization of the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea.

Protesters raised Vietnamese flags and German flags as well as banners in Vietnamese, German and English calling for China to halt all actions on Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands).

They also condemned Beijing's so-called "nine-dash line" and demanded that China comply with international law and respect the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's tribunal last July. The crowd sang “Noi Vong Tay Lon” (“Join Hands”) and other revolutionary songs to demonstrate their desire to defend Vietnam's sovereignty.

 

 

Vietnamese in Germany protest China's militarization of contested waters

Vietnamese in Germany protest China's militarization of contested waters

The protest's organizers also sent a letter to the Chinese Consulate in Frankfurt demanding that Beijing end all activities that could cause tension in the South China Sea.

Many Germans took part in the protest in support of Vietnam's policy to resolve disputes by peaceful means and in accordance with international law, and to condemn China's monopolization of the South China Sea.

Participants distributed flyers and brochures to locals and tourists in the area about Vietnam's sovereignty and evidence of China's increased military moves in the South China Sea.

This is the first demonstration by the Vietnamese community in Germany this year, and the sixteenth since China illegally moved an oil platform into Vietnam's waters in 2014.