Vietnam strongly condemned the act of desecration of its national flag and urged the Philippines to take appropriate and strict measures to address the issue.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Pham Thu Hang.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Pham Thu Hang made the remarks in response to a reporter's question about an August 1 incident in which Filipino protesters tore up the Vietnamese flag in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Manila.

Hang asserted that the red flag with a yellow star has immense significance as Vietnam's sacred national flag.

The act of flag desecration is deeply offensive to the feelings of the Vietnamese people and deserves strong condemnation, she said at a regular press briefing today [August 3].

"We urge the Philippine authorities to take immediate and stern action to address this incident and take effective measures to prevent any recurrence of such behavior as it may affect the well-established strategic partnership between our two nations," Hang stressed.