Protestors at presidential meeting

A number of protesters from different groups are protesting President Xi Jinping’s visit.

From the seas of South Vietnam, to freeing Tibet, hundreds of people are trying to send President Xi a message.

“We want the people in Tibet to have religious freedom and human rights,” said protestor Chaokyi Khanpa.

“I want peace, I want them to get out of my South Seas Ocean,” said protestor Toung Tren.

“For them to get a better life,” said protestor Rosanna Dai.

“This is our land,” said protestor Giao Ong.

Protestors say China has illegally taken over the Seas of South Vietnam and violated human rights.

“China has been invading the land and sea of their neighbor, they have been violating the United Nation’s common law of seas,” said protestor Carly Huinh.

“The Chinese, they murder my people fishing. Every boat coming out to the sea, that is our sea, that is not the China Sea,” said Tren.

Many of the people we spoke with are US citizens living in Southern California.

“Part of me is Vietnamese so even though I am a US citizen, I still look out for Vietnam,” said Ong.

It was well into the hundreds in Rancho Mirage, but that isn’t keeping away all of these protestors. They’ve gotten creative, putting up tents, using umbrellas, drinking lots of water to stay cool so they can get their message across

“It very very hot, like hell, so hot, but I don’t mind it because I am fighting for my people, for my homeland,” said Tren.

Most of the protests were against China, but there is a message for President Obama too. They don’t want any US trade agreements without China acknowledging and stopping these human rights violations.

“It’s better to stop them now,” said Huinh.

The protestors say they will stay all weekend.