Accordingly, the Vietnam Coast Guard is the people's armed force, a specialized force of the State, acting as the core force of law enforcement and protecting national security, order and safety at sea.

Các trường hợp Cảnh sát biển Việt Nam được nổ súng

Illustrative image: Vietnam Coast Guard ship 8001 joined a drill on anti-piracy, search and rescue at sea with ships of the Indian Coast Guard in late 2018.

 

 

When performing their duties, the officers and soldiers of the Vietnam Coast Guard use military weapons, explosives and supporting tools and they are allowed to use military guns in accordance with the Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools.

When performing the tasks of fighting against crimes, law violation activities to ensure security, order and safety at sea, officers and soldiers of the Vietnam Coast Guard are allowed to open fire on ships and boats at sea, except for vessels of foreign diplomatic missions, consular offices, representative offices of international organizations' ships carrying people or hostages, to stop vessels in one of the following cases:

1. The person controlling that ship attacks or directly threatens the life of the person on duty or another person;

2. When it is clear that the vessel controlled by the offender is deliberately fleeing;

3. When it is clear that the ship carrying criminals or illegally carrying weapons, explosives, reactionary documents, state secrets, drugs or national treasures is deliberately fleeing;

4. When a vessel carrying the persons who commit the act of piracy or armed robbery in accordance with international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a contracting party and they are trying to flee.

In case of shooting in accordance with this law, officers and soldiers of the Vietnam Coast Guard must give warnings with actions, orders, words or shooting in the air before shooting at the ship; obey the mandate of the competent person when performing an organized task.

The Law on Vietnam Coast Guard includes 8 chapters, 41 articles and it took effect on July 1, 2019.

Thanh Binh