HO CHI MINH CITY: A Vietnam navy ship carrying dozens of the first tourists to visit the disputed Spratly islands set sail from Ho Chi Minh City early yesterday, prompting a protest from Beijing and a rebuke from Manila.
Dozens of Vietnamese – all believed to be civilians – boarded a white navy ship, HQ996, for the eight-day trip from a military port near the southern commercial hub, a witness said. About 100 people had registered for the trip.
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