High-ranking officials of Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces on Friday visited and apologized to the foreign-invested affected by the recent riots, and undertook to take measures to ensure safety and security for all foreign investors.
High-ranking officials of Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces on Friday visited and apologized to the foreign-invested affected by the recent riots, and undertook to take measures to ensure safety and security for all foreign investors.
The riots were provoked by aggressive elements that took advantage of peaceful marches against China’s illegal placement of drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Vietnamese waters to incite violence in many industrial parks in the two provinces on May 13-14.
During the riots, rioters attacked many companies including foreign-invested enterprises, damaging corporate assets, looting property, and even resisting police officers.
After police recovered order and security, Tran Thanh Liem, deputy chairman of Binh Duong Province People’s Committee, yesterday visited Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park 1 (VSIP 1) and Viet Huong Industrial Park, while his deputies visited many other industrial parks including Song Than 1 and Dat Cuoc.
At a meeting with the representatives of foreign companies affected by the riots at VSIP 1, Liem said, “We are very regretful about the serious damage suffered by many enterprises during the riots. On the behalf of the provincial government, I would like to extend sincere apologizes to all of you.”
The deputy chairman also said local authorities will take measures to prevent similar incidents from repeating in the future and will help businesses that have suffered from the riots resume their normal operations soon.
At the meeting, many company representatives asked the authorities to strengthen measures to ensure safety and security for their companies' operations.
In reply, Liem said local police will take necessary action to better protect all industrial parks in the province.
The same day, the Dong Nai Province People’s Committee also sent groups of officials to visit a number of foreign companies in some industrial parks in the province.
At the Bien Hoa Industrial Park II, deputy chairman of the Dong Nai Province Labor Federation Tang Quoc Lap visited many foreign-invested enterprises that have halted operations due to the riots.
During his visits, Lap apologized to these companies for the recent riots that have caused serious damage to them and badly affected the investment environment in the province.
“Police have set up plans to tighten security in all industrial parks to protect foreign investors, and the authorities will give support to the damaged businesses so that they can resume work as soon as possible,” Lap said.
Ninety-eight of the 210 foreign-invested companies that have halted operations due to the riots resumed work by Friday, according to the provincial labor federation.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Thursday issued an official message to the Ministry of Public Security, relevant ministries, and local authorities, demanding they protect foreign investors.
The premier also required that authorities strictly punish those who have incited riots during recent peaceful marches against China’s illegal placement of oil rig in Vietnamese waters.
As previously reported, police have detained over 1,000 people for involvement in the recent riots, which left one dead and injured 149 others.
Of the detainees, over 800 were arrested in Binh Duong, over 200 nabbed in the Dong Nai, and 76 others captured in the central province of Ha Tinh.
The prosecutor’s offices of Nhon Trach and Trang Bom Districts and Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, on Thursday issued decisions to indict six people on charges of causing public disorder and destroying or deliberately damaging property.
The six people were arrested after causing riots at the Tam Phuoc Industrial Park in Bien Hoa on May 13 evening.
(Source:TTNews)
