Between 2,000 and 4,000 heavily armed riot police used tear gas and clubs to break up the protest and evict farmers camped out in Van Giang district of Hung Yen province.

Vinashin almost collapsed in 2010 after racking up debts of some $4.5 billion following attempts to expand into a wide range of peripheral business areas, from tourist resorts and animal food production to motorcycle manufacturing and real estate.