Protesters in the Republic of Korea (ROK) took to the streets of Seoul to denounce U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for allies to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a violation of national sovereignty.
Since tensions escalated across the Middle East on Feb 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes across Iran, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial sea passage for international goods and energy trade, has been severely disrupted.
Trump said on Sunday that he has "demanded" about seven countries heavily reliant on Middle East oil to join a coalition to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
"The U.S. Trump administration has been blatantly pressuring our military to drive it into the death trap of the Strait of Hormuz under the guise of an alliance. This is a clear violation of sovereignty of our nation and a humiliating act that treats the youth of the Republic of Korea as mere cannon fodder mercenaries for the United States. We absolutely cannot send our youth to the United States' illegal war of aggression," said protester Kim Kyung Min, a civil activist.
The ROK imports almost all of its oil, with much of that previously passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Presidential office in Seoul said on Sunday that it would communicate closely with the U.S.
"Trump's invasion of Iran is clearly an illegal aggression that goes against the Constitution of the Republic of Korea and violates the international law. As a president who upholds the Constitution, President Lee Jae Myung must resolutely oppose it," said another protester Yoon Tae Bi, a university student.
Trump's call for allies to help secure crucial waterway denounced by protesters in Seoul
The first ministerial meeting of the China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security was held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Monday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and Minister of National Defense Dong Jun chaired the meeting, together with Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang.
The two sides held in-depth exchanges on developments and changes in the international landscape, safeguarding political security, and advancing defense and law enforcement cooperation, and reached broad consensus.
Wang Yi emphasized that as friendly socialist neighbors, China and Vietnam should not only focus on the fundamental well-being of their peoples, coordinate development and security, and firmly follow their own development paths, but also embrace the common interests of all humanity, grasp the correct direction of historical progress, and jointly promote an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization through the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future with strategic significance.
The Vietnamese side stated that, given the rapidly evolving and increasingly unpredictable regional and international landscape, it has become particularly urgent for the two parties and countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in addressing shared challenges.
Vietnam is willing to work hand in hand with China to prepare for high-level exchanges, promote cooperation in various fields, and strengthen multilateral coordination to jointly elevate the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level, according to the Vietnamese side.
Both sides agreed to hold the second ministerial meeting of the "3+3" strategic dialogue in China, and to deepen counterpart exchanges in diplomacy, defense and public security by fully leveraging the role of routine liaison between senior officials under the mechanism.
Ministerial meeting of China-Vietnam "3+3" strategic dialogue held in Vietnam
