“Once again, Vietnam demands that China stop its inhumane actions which are endangering the lives and damaging the property and legitimate interests of Vietnamese fishermen,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said on May 27 in response to questions from the media about the recent attacks.
He asked the Chinese side to respect international laws, severely punish those responsible, pay adequate compensation and prevent a repeat of such behaviour.
According to Vietnamese authorities, since early May, many Vietnamese fishing boats have been repeatedly disrupted and driven away by Chinese ships, causing losses of property.
Chinese forces were also responsible for beating and injuring Vietnamese fishermen, threatening their lives.
China’s actions violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea, running counter to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), Binh stressed, adding that China continues complicating the situation in the East Sea.
On May 27, the Consulate Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi and handed over a diplomatic note in protest at the actions.
On May 7, Vietnam’s fishing boat QNg 96416-TS, carrying 16 fishermen on board from central Quang Ngai province, was attacked by Chinese ships when it was operating in its traditional fishing grounds in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, suffering damage to its sides and cabin.
The incident happened when the boat was fishing in an area about 10 nautical miles from Linh Con Island which belongs to Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.
A Chinese ship coded 1241 suddenly appeared, fired flares and then a water cannon at the Vietnamese boat. Those on the Chinese vessel threw many heavy objects, including hammers and large bolts, at the fishing boat. A Chinese fishery surveillance vessel then rammed into the Vietnamese ship, breaking its right side and cabin wall. Losses were estimated at VND890 million (US$41,800).
At 11pm on May 16, Vietnam’s fishing boat QNg 90205-TS’s regular operation in the traditional fishing ground in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago was disrupted by a Chinese ship coded 306. This happened at 16 degrees 55 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 21 minutes east longitude near Phu Lam Island, which belongs to Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago.
Vietnamese fishermen were then beaten by crew members of the Chinese ship while their property, including satellite positioning and communications equipment, was taken away. The attack seriously injured fishermen Nguyen Huyen Le Anh and Nguyen Tan Hai.
On May 17, Vietnam’s fishing boat QNg 96011-TS with 13 fishermen on board was attacked by a Chinese ship coded 21102 while it was operating at 15 degrees 16 minutes north latitude and 111 degrees 18 minutes east longitude, about 31 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island, which belongs to Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago. Property and fishing gears on board were seized. Losses were estimated at VND50 million (US$2.350)
Then, most recently, on May 26, a Chinese ship coded 11209 sank a Vietnamese fishing boat with 10 members on board within Vietnamese waters. The Vietnamese boat DNa 90152, from the central city of Da Nang, was operating in its traditional fishing grounds when it was rammed by a Chinese until it sank. All the 10 sailors were rescued by Vietnam’s coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships.
At the beginning of May, China illegally placed the Haiyang Shiyou 981 oil rig, as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft, at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Chinese ships have repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons at Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships which are carrying out their law enforcement missions within Vietnam’s waters, leaving many Vietnamese boats damaged and officers injured.
