(CNN) -- Hundreds of protestors took to the streets in Vietnam Sunday as territorial disputes escalated tensions between the communist state and its neighbor China. A rally which drew around a thousand protesters in Hanoi focused local ire on the Chinese embassy, while smaller protests in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City echoed the anti-Chinese sentiment emanating from the political capital. The demonstrations were sparked by what Vietnam says were intimidatory tactics involving China's deployment of a deep-sea drilling platform in disputed waters in the South China Sea. Vietnamese officials say Chinese military and civilian ships have been harassing their vessels near the Paracel Islands -- which are controlled by Beijing but claimed by Hanoi -- since the previous Sunday, even accusing the Chinese of repeatedly ramming into them and shooting water cannon.
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NEW: Vietnamese take to the streets to protest against perceived territorial incursions by China
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NEW: South China Sea disputes form backdrop to ASEAN summit in Myanmar
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Vietnam says Chinese ships have made violent attacks on Vietnamese vessels
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Chinese fishermen arrested by Philippines authorities in a separate dispute
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China ... has required the @placeholder side to take all necessary measures to protect the safety and lawful rights of Chinese citizens and institutions in Vietnam."
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All @placeholder foreign ministers expressed their deep concern about South China Sea."
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@placeholder officials say the boat was carrying a large number of endangered species and they seized the boat "to uphold Philippine sovereign rights" in the disputed waters.
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China maintains that its current drilling activities are legitimate and blame the @placeholder for provoking conflict.