Like Vietnamese people at home and abroad, many ex-pat residents who are now working and living in Da Nang are protesting against China’s unilateral positioning of the HD-981 drilling rig in Viet Nam’s territorial waters.

Mr Enzo Falcone

The Chairman of the Care the People ONLUS, Mr Enzo Falcone, said that many people around the world are now enthusiastically supporting Viet Nam.  He added that the international public is expressing their great respect for Viet Nam because it is striving to resolve the conflicts in the East Sea through diplomatic negotiations and by peaceful means, regardless of China’s provocative actions.

The Italian man said that he has lived in Viet Nam for 20 years, and therefore he understands Viet Nam well, and Da Nang in particular.  He remarked that Da Nang and Viet Nam as a whole is totally peace-loving.  He added that he hopes Viet Nam will seek suitable ways for bilateral negotiations to avoid an unexpected war between the 2 countries.

Mr Philip Overton

Meanwhile, Mr Philip Overton, a volunteer at an English centre under the Da Nang Union of Friendship Organisations, expressed his strong discontent about China’s intentional infringement of Viet Nam’s sovereignty over its territorial waters.  The Chinese side’s illegal act clearly proves its ambition to have exclusive rights over the East Sea, as well as showing its expansionist ideology.  In addition, he emphasised that China might face significant losses, especially the degradation of its prestige in the world arena and in Viet Nam in particular, due to its current worthless action.

Mr Overton noted that Viet Nam is encountering a tough and complicated struggle to re-affirm its legitimate sovereignty.  However, he expressed his strong belief that the Vietnamese people will stop China’s intrusive actions because every resident possesses the traditional indomitable spirit and a high sense of responsibility for safeguarding their country’s sovereignty.