On January 19, 1974, the People’s Republic of China blatantly invaded Vietnam’s Paracel islands. Seventy four Republic of Vietnam Navy officers and soldiers heroically sacrificed their lives to protect the country’s sovereignty.
On March 14, 1988, China, once again, invaded and occupied six Vietnamese islands in the Spratlys. Sixty four soldiers of the Vietnamese People’s Army bravely gave their lives to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.
Since then, China has continuously increased its military expansion in the East Sea, carrying out increasingly wanton acts of aggression, causing much loss of life and property to the Vietnamese people. More recently, Beijing introduced its “Maritime Law”, which allows the Chinese Navy to open fire on Vietnamese vessels and people in waters that China unilaterally claims.
In the past decades, however, the Vietnamese communist government has not adequately worked to assert the country’s sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands, regain its territorial waters, and protect the people. Moreover, Vietnamese people protesting against China’s aggression and openly condemning Beijing’s aggressive acts have been suppressed and imprisoned.
Protecting the country’s sovereignty, economic interests, and fishermen in the East Sea is the collective responsibility of all Vietnamese people. In that spirit, we call on all Vietnamese inside Vietnam and overseas to:
First, let’s strongly condemn China’s aggression on all forums so that the international community does not forget that the Paracel and Spratly Islands are being illegally occupied by Beijing. Let’s act jointly to empower the movement and strive to regain sovereignty over the sea and islands of the Vietnamese people.
Second, let’s stand with the people of free and democratic countries around the world to denounce and demand that Beijing stop its aggressive acts in the East Sea in order to protect the fishermen.
Third, let’s work together to pressure the current government of Vietnam to immediately release Vietnamese patriots who are being imprisoned for their stance against China; the Hanoi government must end the policy of preventing mass gatherings to protest against China’s aggression or to honor the sacrifices of fallen soldiers in the two battles of the Paracels and Spratlys, as well as the northern border war.
Fourth, let’s raise our voices to demand that the Hanoi government file a case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration to affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty.
China is being viewed by free and democratic countries as a threat to international security and the global order. Now is the time to undertake more concrete actions and contribute to the global effort to deter China’s expansionism and to regain Vietnamese sovereignty over the Paracels and Spratlys.
Jointly,
Groupe d’Enseignement de la Culture Vietnamienne
Vietnamese Buddhist Church Association Brisbane
Tu Ca Xuan Diem Music Group
Republic of Vietnam Army Rangers Association / NSW, Australia
Binh Thuan Support Group / San Diego
Republic of Vietnam National Police Association / NSW, Australia
The Vietnamese Historical & Cultural Performing Arts Foundation
Free Journalists Club of Vietnam
Club of Vietnamese Artists in Germany and Europe
Vietnam Path Movement / UK
Vietnamese Catholic Community in Switzerland and The Kingdom of Liechtenstein
Vietnamese Community of Jacksonville, Florida
Vietnamese Community of Oregon
Federation of Vietnamese American Communities of USA
Vietnamese American Community of Massachusetts
Vietnamese Community in Australia
Free Vietnamese Community / Ottawa, Canada
Vietnamese Community in Australia / Queensland Chapter
Vietnamese Community in Australia / SA Chapter
Vietnamese Community in Australia / WA chapter
Vietnamese Community in Australia / NSW Chapter
Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County
Vietnamese Community of San Diego
Vietnamese Community in Liege
Free Vietnamese Community in Hawaii
Association of Vietnamese Political Refugees / Netherlands
Justice for Formosa’s Victims
Thu Duc Military Academy Cadets Alumni Association / NSW
Radio VNR2 / Sydney / NSW
NVRADIO
TNT Houston Media Corp.
Tan Dai Viet Party, Australia
Viet Tan
Phan Boi Chau Youth Group
Phan Boi Chau Youth Group / Toronto
Republic of Vietnam Marine / NSW, Australia
Republic of Vietnam Airborne Family / Bergen, Norway
Vietnamese Veterans Family / Netherlands
Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Parish / Diocese of St.Petersburg, FL
Republic of Vietnam National Police Next Generations / NSW
Republic of Vietnam Next Generations Organization
Vietnamese Association in Japan
Vietnamese Media in Australia
Former Political Prisoners Association / East Bay Area
Former Vietnamese Air Force Association / Louisiana
Former Vietnamese Air Force Association / PE – NJ – DE
Republic of Vietnam Air Force Veterans Association / WA
Vietnamese Seniors Association / Hawaii
Vietnamese Association in Saint Quentin en Yvelines, France
Brotherhood For Democracy
Brotherhood For Democracy in UK
Den Vietnamesiske Tradisjonsforening / Moss, Norge
Vietnamese Cultural Society
Support Group for VCA / NSW, Australia
Vietnamese Professionals Society / Belgium
Vietnamese Professionals Society / Germany
Former Vietnamese National Police Association / New England
Republic of Vietnam Veterans Association / Ontario
Former Cadets of Dalat Political War College Association / N.E., USA
Republic of Vietnam Military Officers Alumni Association / N. Eng.
Thu Duc Military Academy Cadets Alumni Association / QLD
Thu Duc Military Academy Cadets Alumni Association / WA
Former Political Prisoners Ai Tu Binh Dien Association / N. California
King Hung Oversea Foundation
Hoi Den Hung Foundation / San Diego
Republic of Vietnam Merchant Marine / San Diego
Vietnamese Artists Association/ Hawaii
Vietnamese Senior Association in San Joaquin County
VF Hjørring
Vietnamese Association of Jacksonville
Vietnamese Association in Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge
Association des Vietnamiens de Lausanne – Suisse
The Vietnamese American National Group / Washington D.C
Vietnamese Refugees Association in Mannheim and Surrounding Area
Vietnamiens Libres en Belgique
Vietnamese Association in Denmark
Association of Vietnamese Refugees / Krefeld, Germany
Association of Vietnamese Refugees / Recklinghausen, Germany
Vietnamese Refugee Organization / Stavanger, Norway
Vietnamese Political Refugees Association / Bremen
Association of Vietnamese Refugees in Hamburg, Germany
Association of Vietnamese Refugees in Mönchengladbach, Germany
Association of Vietnamese Refugees in Nuremberg, Germany
Artillery Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces
Vietnamese American Women Association (VAWA)
Vietnamese Women Association / Oakland
Vietnamese Australian Students Association QLD Inc.
Association of Young Vietnamese in France
Vietnamese Culture and History Association in Norway
Bloc 8406
Republic of Vietnam Air Force Association / NSW, Úc Châu
Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association / Houston
Vietnamese Former Political Prisoners Association / Stockton
Association of Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners in Hawaii
Republic of Vietnam Air Cadet Promo 73F / Virginia
Vietnamese Culture Association
Veterans Association / San Diego
Former Vietnam Armed Forces Alliance / Northern California
Vietnam Democracy Federation
Vietnam Human Rights Network
Gia Dinh Origin Magazine / Florida
Vietnam House / Berlin, Germany
Liberal Publishing House
Former Prisoners Ky Son – Tien Lanh Group
Rogaland for Human Rights in Vietnam
VT-Club / Houston
TNT Radio
TNT Radio / Sacramento
TNT Radio / Vancouver, Canada
Saigon Broadcasting Television Network – SBTN
SBTN / Sydney, Australia
Republic of Vietnam Air Cadet Promo 73F / Germany
Amitiés Belgique – Vietnam
Thiên Long Bình Minh Florida TiVo Media
The Vietnamese Youth Group
Organization of Activities for Vietnamese Refugees in Germany
Association Générale des Etudiants Vietnamiens de Paris
Federation of Vietnamese Labor Unions Overseas
Vietnamese Martial Art Vovinam Dallas Center
Music & Arts School / NSW, Australia
The Vietnamese Ethnic School in Queensland INC
VanLang Vietnamese Language School of Stockton
Committee To Protect Ancestral Homeland
Support Committee for Vietnam in Denmark
Community Ceremonial Committee of Southern California Region
King Hung’s Shrine Committee
Committee to Support Vietnam’s Human Rights & Democracy Movement / Toronto
Freedom and Democracy For Vietnam Committee
Alliance to Combat Human Trafficking
VHOG US
Vietnamese Nationalist Party / Western Australia
Vietnamese Community in Australia Youth Group
VNAF 73F San Jose
VoViNam Connection