HANOI: A Vietnamese woman carrying banners denouncing China’s claim to most of the South China Sea died yesterday after setting herself on fire in front of a landmark in the country’s largest city, local government officials said
The 67-year-old woman set herself ablaze at about 6am in front of the Independence Palace, once the headquarters of the US-backed South Vietnamese government, in Ho Chi Minh City, Le Truong Hai Hieu, a senior city official, said by telephone.
“She carried banners saying ‘Against China in Vietnam’s sea’ and ‘I will bless Vietnam’s marine police’,” Hieu said.
The self-immolation took place a week after deadly riots in industrial parks led by demonstrators denouncing China’s deployment of a $1bn deepwater rig in waters claimed by Vietnam 240kms off its coast. The foreign ministry said three Chinese nationals died in the unrest.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said this week his government was considering various “defence options” against China, including legal action, to counter the rig’s deployment. The woman’s family and local officials said they believed the suicide was inspired by her anger at the Chinese action compounded by personal problems.Reuters
