Buddhists pray for peace in East Sea
(VOV) -Thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns and followers gathered in southern Kien Giang province on July 9 to pray for peace in the East Sea following China’s illegal positioning of its Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s waters.
At the ceremony, a representative of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) delivered the VBS National Patriarch’s message of peace to Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns in the world, especially the leader of the Buddhist Association of China.
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In the message, the Patriarch asked China to fulfil its duty of protecting and maintaining peace, and respecting independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of its neighbours, including Vietnam.
He condemned China’s violation of Vietnamese sovereignty and called on China to stop similar provocative acts that may further escalate the tension in the East Sea, detrimental to peace in the region.
He also called on Vietnamese Buddhist followers to unite, trust in the Party and State’s policy, and stay highly vigilant against bad elements’ insidious schemes.
After the requiem, the VBS handed over VND200 million raised by Buddhist followers to support the national sea and islands protection programme.