Protesters carried large band rolls reading “We love Vietnam” and “China, withdraw its oil rig from Vietnam’s territorial waters.”
At Lam Son Square, not only intellectuals, artists, elderly and young people, but children took part in the peaceful demonstration. They travelled past the city’s major roads and streets such as Le Loi, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, and Nguyen Du.
Protesters said they would march in peace, hoping to rally the entire nation in protest against China’s violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Pham Duc Loc, a local resident from Go Vap district, said China’s provocation has caused outrage among the Vietnamese people.
“Through the peaceful march, we would like the world and especially China to understand that we love peace and our Vietnamese nation, and we are determined to protect it,” he said.
Earlier on May 10, nearly 1,000 people attended a meeting at HCM City’s Youth Cultural Centre, voicing their strong opposition to China’s illegal actions in the East Sea.