Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang on May 17 talked on the phone with his Chinese counterpart Guo Sheng Kun over recent spontaneous protests against China's illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
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| Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang at a working session in southern Binh Duong province. |
Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang on May 17 talked on the phone with his Chinese counterpart Guo Sheng Kun over recent spontaneous protests against China’s illegal placement of its Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Minister Quang informed the Chinese official about the latest incidents occurred at industrial parks in the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai, central Ha Tinh province and Ho Chi Minh City.
He told the Chinese minister that bad individuals and criminals used these spontaneous protests to ignite protesters’ anger, causing social disorder, destroying property and resisting on-duty officials. Dozens of policemen were injured.
Minister Quang said that these incidents were regrettable and undesirable and that the police applied timely and appropriate measures to stabilise the situation, arrested hundreds of suspects for further investigation, and commenced legal proceedings against several of them.
The Vietnamese Government has promptly directed ministries, agencies and localities to take measures to help the affected businesses resume their activities and enable local foreigners to stabilise their lives, he said.
Forces were increased in number and other necessary measures were also taken to not allow similar incidents to repeat, Minister Quang noted, adding that the situation is now back to normal.
He confirmed that the Vietnamese Government has always created favourable conditions and ensured safety and security for foreign-invested organisations and enterprises as well as foreign and Chinese businesses and people who are working in Vietnam.
For his part, Minister Guo held out hope that the Ministry of Public Security will continue applying measures to protect security and safety for Chinese representative offices, consular offices, economic and cultural establishments, businesses and nationals in Vietnam.
Minister Quang asked his counterpart to assure his peers of safety working and doing business in Vietnam. He also requested that attention should be paid to ensuring safety and security for Vietnamese foreign missions, consular offices and nationals in China.
He asked Minister Guo to report to his Party and State leaders Vietnam’s demand for China’s immediate withdrawal of Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig out of Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. He suggested the two sides soon sitting down for talks to clear up issues of difference for the sake of the two countries’ people.
(Source: VNA)
