(VOVworld)- The Vietnamese people have vehemently demanded China withdraw its oil rig Haiyang 981 from Vietnam’s waters and halt all its illegal actions in the East Sea. They have held meetings and peace rallies and organized other activities to show their patriotism and encourage Vietnam’s island soldiers and fishermen. The Vietnamese people are united in the cause of national sovereignty over Vietnam’s seas and islands.

In the two months since China illegally placed its oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, Vietnam has showed restraint and good will and used all available dialogue channels to protest China’s actions and demanded that it withdraw its oil rig and escort ships from Vietnam’s waters, and abide by international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. China in response has slandered Vietnam and repeatedly attacked Vietnamese law enforcement ships. More than ever, Vietnamese people are determined to stand together to defend national sea and island sovereignty.

Solidarity creates strength- lesson from the past

Vietnam’s victory in the anti-US war from 1954 to 1975 with its final triumph on April 30, 1975 symbolizes revolutionary heroism and wisdom. Bringing into play the strength of national unity was a valuable lesson not only for the past war, but also for the current period of national construction and defence. Pham The Duyet, former President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee, says it has been proved in Vietnamese history that unity provides the strength to defeat all foreign invaders in any circumstance: “We need mobilize the people’s strength to defeat all enemies. We have always followed our ancestors’ lesson of promoting national strength. We have defeated several foreign invaders including the French colonialists and the American imperialists. We need to continue mobilizing the strength of all classes, ethnic groups and religions to support the Party and State’s national defence policies”.

Being united gives the Vietnamese people the strength to overcome all difficulties and challenges in defending national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

National unity in the face of threats in the East Sea

Vietnam is a peace-loving nation but it doesn’t yield to any country that bullies or invades its land and sea. In the face of China’s territorial invasion, provocations and threats, Vietnam has pursued dialogues and sincerity. If China continues to escalate its use of force, however, the Vietnamese people will rise up to defend their country. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said: “Vietnam wants peace and friendship on the basis of independence, self-reliance, sovereignty and territorial integrity of land and sea. Vietnam will never barter its sacred sovereignty for an unrealizable or conditional peace and friendship”.

The Vietnamese State’s resoluteness and people’s reactions to China’s illegal actions reflect the Vietnamese people’s patriotism, solidarity and consensus. The Vietnamese Party, State leaders and citizens have encouraged the law enforcement forces who are defending Vietnamese sea and island sovereignty. Recently, outstanding youth union members visited the people living on Truong Sa island and the DK1 platform. Le Khanh Chi is a youth union member from Hanoi: “I have prepared a lot of gifts including key chains and other hand-made items for the people on the island. We will also sing to encourage those who are defending the nation”.

In solidarity with Vietnamese people in Vietnam, overseas Vietnamese people have organized marches and rallies to protest China. Nguyen Phu Binh, former Deputy Foreign Minister and President of the Overseas Vietnamese Liaison Association, says many overseas Vietnamese people have also collected evidence of China’s false claims of sovereignty. Many Vietnamese intellectuals have presented analyses and arguments affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos to help people around the world better understand and unite with the Vietnamese people. Mr. Binh said: “All Vietnamese will be united if Vietnam is invaded. I call on all Vietnamese people inside and outside Vietnam to strive for the common goal of defending national sovereignty over our sea and islands”.

In the past, solidarity was a weapon that enabled Vietnamese people to defeat their enemies. During the current national construction, solidarity is helping Vietnamese people develop Vietnam and expand its relations with the rest of the world.