A protester marched in an anti-China protest in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday. Reuters
HANOI—Vietnam deployed security forces Sunday and quickly quieted renewed protests against China as tensions between the two countries escalated following the sacking last week of Chinese and other foreign-owned factories stemming from a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
Hundreds of uniformed policemen and others in plainclothes dispersed a group of about 100 people gathering at a park near China's embassy in Hanoi. Police with loudspeakers ordered people to leave the area. A perimeter of metal barriers was erected about 500 meters from the embassy."We are on our mission and we ask you to leave the area," a policeman said on a loudspeaker. The crowd reluctantly left the area. No arrests were made. Elsewhere in the city, large numbers of security officials and policemen were deployed to parks, public spaces and intersections.
"The police are just doing their job, and I'm here to show my patriotism and to protest against the deployment of the Chinese oil rig," said a protester who didn't want to be named.
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Tension between Vietnam and China has risen to its highest level in years following the deployment of an oil rig by a Chinese state-run energy company in waters Vietnam claims as its own. Vietnam said the oil rig, about 130 nautical miles from its shore, is well within its "exclusive economic zone." China has laid claim to nearly the entire South China Sea and scores of ships from both nations are confronting each other around the rig.The tension led to several protests throughout Vietnam last week and some turned into deadly riots, leaving two Chinese nationals dead and several foreign-owned factories burned or damaged. China has demanded that Vietnam protect Chinese individuals and businesses in the country. On Sunday, China said more than 3,000 Chinese nationals have been evacuated.
After allowing earlier protests, Vietnamese authorities signaled in recent days that they wouldn't risk a repeat. Mobile carriers sent repeated texts to subscribers, passing along a message from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asking people to not participate in illegal protests.
On Sunday in Ho Chi Minh City, police carried away some protesters, among hundreds who had gathered at the iconic Notre Dame cathedral. Several appeared to have been detained. There was no immediate statement from police on arrests or injuries.
Protesters clapped and cheered, displaying newspapers with stories about the South China Sea tensions. Uniformed and plainclothes police with earpieces recorded protesters with video cameras as the demonstrators chanted "Long live Vietnam!" and "The Paracels and Spratlys belong to Vietnam," referring to two disputed island chains.
One man waved a sign that referred to the former South Vietnam, the U.S.'s ally in the Vietnam War, and suggested that if the U.S. joined with Vietnam today, China could be defeated. Police ripped the sign away and removed him from the area. A truckload of security personnel arrived to break up the gathering. Police with loudspeakers told people not to take part in illegal protests and to go home. Security personnel appeared to outnumber the protesters.
The rally got off to a late start, as hesitant protesters were confronted with a much larger police presence than last week, which made them uncertain about how much authorities would tolerate. Last week, larger groups were allowed to march throughout Ho Chi Minh City for hours. But after the riots at several industrial parks later in the week, the government pledged to maintain order in a bid to reassure foreign investors. Sunday's protesters weren't allowed near China's consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. Most foreign-owned factories stayed closed over the weekend.
On Saturday, Vietnam said the riots, which left about 140 people injured, were triggered and incited by "bad individuals" and that about 300 people had been arrested. Officials said the government would support factories that had been affected, but didn't elaborate
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