Filipinos, Vietnamese hold anti-China protest

The Paracel Islands, known as Xisha Islands in Chinese and as Hoàng Sa Archipelago in Vietnamese, is a group of islands in the South China Sea controlled by China and claimed by Vietnam. VisitHainan

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos and Vietnamese residents in the Philippine capital have staged a joint protest against China's incursions into South China Sea territories claimed by their countries.

Chanting "China get out," more than 100 Filipinos and Vietnamese on Friday picketed the Chinese consulate carrying banners, including one that urged Manila and Hanoi to "join hands" against Beijing.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a busy sea lane atop what is believed to be rich oil and gas reserves.

Chinese and Vietnamese ships have been locked in a standoff since early this month after Beijing deployed an oil rig near the Paracel Islands claimed by Hanoi. There have been violent anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam.

Manila protests Chinese land reclamation on a reef that it says is Philippine territory.

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