08:15, December 19, 2007
China urges Vietnam to prevent protests from harming bilateral ties
China on Tuesday urged Vietnam to take efficient measures to prevent protesting incidents targeting China from happening again.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the remarks here in response to a question concerning recent protests in Vietnam targeting China.
The protests happened in Vietnam's two cities, Hanoi and Ho ChiMinh City, on Sunday, while similar incidents took place on Dec. 9,according to Qin.
"China pays close attention to protests in Vietnam targeting China," he said. He urged Vietnamese leaders
to take effective measures to stop it and avoid bilateral ties from being hurt.
Several hundred demonstrators marched near the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi and its consulate in Ho Ch Minh City on Sunday, protesting against China's sovereignty over the Xisha and Nansha islands, according to Vietnamese news reports.
Qin said earlier that
China had indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea and the adjacent waters. This was China's consistent stance.
Leaders of the two countries had exchanged views on this issue several times and agreed to settle the dispute through dialogue and consultation to safeguard the stability of the South China Sea and Sino-Vietnamese relations, he added.
Source: Xinhua