January 19 of this year marks 49 years since China blatantly invaded Vietnam’s Paracels (Hoang Sa). Seventy four Republic of Vietnam Navy officers and soldiers heroically sacrificed their life to protect their country’s sovereignty.

Despite China’s increasingly aggressive and violent actions in the South China Sea, including the 1988 invasion of Johnson South Reef, in the Spratlys (Truong Sa) that resulted in the deaths of sixty four soldiers of the Vietnamese People’s Army defending the island, and the promulgation of the Coast Guard Law in 2021, which legalizes the use of force by the Chinese Navy against foreign ships in disputed waters, the Communist Party of Vietnam has failed to sufficiently assert Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Paracels and Spratlys or protect Vietnamese fishermen.

Moreover, Vietnamese citizens who openly criticize and protest against China’s aggression are suppressed and imprisoned. China is counting on the weak opposition from the Vietnamese government and the passage of time to make the world forget its unlawful use of force to invade the Paracels.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of China’s forcible occupation of the Paracels, Viet Tan calls for the following specific actions:

1. Strongly condemn China’s aggression and demand that the Vietnamese government fulfill its responsibility to protect Vietnam’s sovereignty, economic interests and the lives of its fishermen. This includes releasing Vietnamese citizens who have been imprisoned for speaking out against China’s aggression and allowing public activities to honor the sacrifices of soldiers in the two battles of Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, or to protest against China’s violent and unlawful acts.
2. Demand that the Vietnamese government 1) strongly condemn Beijing’s illegal acts of violating Vietnam’s sovereignty and unprovoked attacks on fishermen at the United Nations and 2) file a lawsuit against China at the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration to determine sovereignty of the South China Sea.
3. Demand that the Vietnamese government collaborate with democratic countries in the region to create a united front in order to prevent China’s expansion, protect peace and defend the livelihoods of Vietnamese fishermen. In the event that China causes harm to fishermen, the Vietnamese government must demand that the Chinese government provide adequate compensation.

China is currently perceived as a threat to global security and order by democratic countries. With the 50th anniversary of its occupation of the Paracels approaching, it is crucial that we remind the world of China’s use of force to occupy the Paracels.

Viet Tan is committed to its responsibility of protecting Vietnam’s sovereignty and the Vietnamese people.

On October 27, 2022, Viet Tan hosted a reception at the Canadian Parliament co-chaired by the Honorable Judy Sgro. The theme of the event was how Canada could help advance peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific by supporting human rights and democratic change in Vietnam. 

The reception was attended by MPs from the Liberal Party, Conservative Party, and Bloc Québécois.

Below are the remarks from Viet Tan executive director Duy Hoang.

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Members of Parliament and friends, thank you for joining us at today’s reception. And thank you MP Judy Sgro for co-chairing this event and for your longstanding support for human rights.

I wanted to share with you Viet Tan’s vision for Vietnam, how this vision may relate to the interests of Canada in the Indo-Pacific, and what we could do to promote our shared interests — which I believe to be a more free and democratic Vietnam.

I think the best way to describe Vietnam today is like a cup of water — in many ways half full:

• with a dynamic, hard working people
• a strategic location
• and of course great food and vibrant culture

But Vietnam is also like a glass of water half empty:

• with uneven development
• staggering levels of corruption and political repression
• hundreds of political prisoners
• and so many contradictions: the government wants to promote a knowledge economy but restricts the internet; it talks about climate change but detains environmental activists who are organizing for change

In a nutshell, it’s a country with tremendous potential but is held back by an authoritarian system — namely, a single, ruling party that’s no longer Marxist, but still very Leninist.

This is not news that Vietnam’s political system is less than ideal — it may even seem like an oddity that the rest of the world can safely ignore. But we’ve been reminded this year that autocracy just can’t be wished away. How a regime treats its own people is highly relevant to its immediate neighbors and the wider international community.

With the invasion of Ukraine, we’ve seen how a tyrant with a warped world view can cause so much suffering to his neighbors, to his own people and can literally endanger the rest of the world.

And with China, we’ve seen how an authoritarian regime is both a threat to the citizens living inside its borders and also to the whole region.

Fortunately, much of the world has rallied behind Ukraine — and more and more leaders are providing their support to a democratic Taiwan. But there is a number of countries, almost all with poor human rights records, that are an obstacle to the international consensus. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is one such country.

In every vote of the United Nations General Assembly this year condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the atrocities against civilians and the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories, the Hanoi government has abstained.

It would seem that the interests of Vietnam align with an international system where countries respect the UN Charter and where bigger nations don’t bully smaller neighbors. However, because of their autocratic nature, the Hanoi regime seems unable to act in the national interest.

In fact, Hanoi is destabilizing the region by planning military exercises with Russia, siding with the military junta in Myanmar, and most recently joining the UN Human Rights Council to whitewash human rights abuses.We, Viet Tan, envision a Vietnam that embraces international norms and a rules-based order. This Vietnam would anchor a more liberal ASEAN — which in turn could help moderate Beijing’s worst tendencies.

Such a Vietnam would more easily attract the talents and support of the large Vietnamese diaspora — including the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are 1st and 2nd generation immigrants from Vietnam. This community could serve as a bridge between the two countries, deepening Canada’s position as an Indo-Pacific nation and ultimately its soft power.

So what can we do?

First, don’t give the Hanoi regime a “pass”. This means urging the Hanoi government to respect its international commitments; it’s now a member of the UN Human Rights Council — with this role comes responsibilities.

Second, speak out further against human rights abuses. For example, MPs might consider “adopting” a prisoner of conscience and advocating for their freedom.

Third, pursue a relationship with the Vietnamese people. Canada has the opportunity to engage directly with the Vietnamese people, by supporting independent Vietnamese civil society. This is an area where the Canadian diplomatic mission could enhance its current efforts.

As Canada prepares its Indo-Pacific Strategy, we all agree that Vietnam has an important part to play. The question is which Vietnam would be a more reliable partner? We believe that a more free and democratic Vietnam is in all of our interests.

Thank you for your support.

Duy Hoang

After years of aggression against Vietnamese fishermen and other countries, the Chinese government has legalized force at sea by passing the Coast Guard Law on January 22, 2021. This law allows the Chinese Coast Guard to use weapons to attack foreign ships in waters that Beijing unlawfully claims.

The law also allows the Chinese Coast Guard to use any means necessary to demolish infrastructure built on reefs and to inspect, capture, and establish temporary no-move zones as needed to prevent ships and foreigners from traveling in certain waters in order to “protect the sovereignty and security of China’s maritime rights.”

The Coast Guard Law makes it clear that Beijing’s intention is to willingly open fire and attack ships and people, despite international law. This law directly threatens the lives and livelihoods of Vietnamese fishermen. The Communist Party of Vietnam is complicit in  turning a blind eye to China’s increasing influence in Vietnam’s waters.

In light of this event, Viet Tan asserts and calls for::

1. The Chinese authorities to retract the section of the Coast Guard Law that allows the Chinese Coast Guard to shoot at foreign ships. This is an act of crime and aggression, threatening peace in the Asia-Pacific region, and is a direct threat to the lives of Vietnamese fishermen.
2. The Communist Party of Vietnam to formally issue a resolution condemning Beijing on the Coast Guard Law during Vietnam’s 13th National Party Congress, and to raise a lawsuit against China to the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration to determine sovereignty of the South China Sea. The Communist Party must also immediately release all Vietnamese citizens who are imprisoned for speaking out against China’s aggression.
3. All groups and organizations, inside and outside of Vietnam, to mobilize democratic nations around the world to condemn Beijing’s actions and demand the Chinese authorities retract the law that allows the Chinese Coast Guard to use weapons to attack ships and people.

Contact: Duy Hoang +1 202-596-7951