China lodges protest over Vietnam mob attacks

China Thursday lodged a solemn protest with Vietnam and voiced strong condemnation over the recent mob attacks against foreign investors and companies that left two Chinese citizen dead and 148 others injured.

Rioting destroyed this Chinese-owned shoe factory in the southern Vietnamese province of Binh Duong on Wednesday. [Agenices via China Daily]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi strongly condemned the violent attacks in an urgent phone call with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh Thursday evening.

Wang said Vietnam bears unshirkable responsibility for the violent attacks against Chinese companies and nationals. He demanded Vietnam immediately take resolute and effective measures to stop all violence and ensure the safety of the lives and property of all Chinese nationals and companies there.

He also urged for proper arrangement of those companies and nationals, all-out efforts to treat the injured, immediate investigation into the violence, harsh punishment of all perpetrators and compensation for the companies and nationals.

Pham said Vietnam authorities have apprehended more than 1,000 suspects and would severely punish the lawbreakers.

The Vietnam authorities will also take measures to protect the safety of the lives and property of all Chinese nationals and organizations there.

On Thursday afternoon, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin urgently summoned Vietnamese Ambassador to China Nguyen Van Tho and lodged solemn representation.

Liu demanded Vietnam take forceful measures to stop criminal activities and punish the perpetrators, and to ensure the safety of the lives and property of Chinese nationals there.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing in Beijing on Thursday that the violence targeting Chinese had "a direct link with the Vietnamese government's indulgence and connivance in recent days toward domestic anti-China forces and lawbreakers".

Also Thursday, China sent a working group, led by Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jianchao, to Vietnam to deal with the aftermath of the deadly violence.