VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Foreign Ministry today summoned a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi to protest China’s acts of threats and attacks against Vietnamese fishing boats in the East Sea. The protest was lodged in the wake of several incidents, the most recent of which was the sinking of a 10-man fishing vessel by Chinese forces.

Vietnamese fishing boats near China’s illegal drilling rig.

Since early May, many fishing boats of Vietnam have been both threatened and attacked by Chinese vessels, causing damage to property. More seriously, Chinese forces took actions that caused injuries and threatened the lives of Vietnamese fishermen.

On May 7, a fishing vessel out of Quang Ngai Province with a crew of 16 was attacked by a Chinese ship with gunfire, water cannons and solid projectiles. The incident took place about 10 nautical miles from Linh Con Island in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago of Vietnam.

Following that, a ship of the Chinese fishing administration force intentionally rammed the Vietnamese boat, causing damage estimated at VND890 million (over $40,000).

At 11pm on May 16, another Quang Ngai fishing boat was forcefully boarded by the crew of a Chinese fishery administration vessel near Phu Lam Island in the Hoang Sa Archipelago.

The Chinese functional forces smashed property in the boat and seriously injured two fishermen, Nguyen Huyen Le Anh and Nguyen Tan Hai.

On May 17, another Quang Ngai fishing vessel, the QNg 96011 TS, with a 13 man crew, was commandeered by a Chinese ship when it was 31 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island of the Hoang Sa Archipelago. The Chinese helped themselves to some equipment and nets worth about $2,500.

Most recently, at 4pm on Monday, a 10-man fishing boat from Da Nang, the DNa 90152 TS, was sunk after being attacked by a Chinese ship in the traditional fishing ground of Hoang Sa Archipelago of Vietnam. The 10 fishermen were rescued by the Vietnam Coast Guard.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman – Mr. Le Hai Binh - complained that the actions of the Chinese side had violated the sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam in the East Sea, contrary to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), making the situation in the East Sea more complicated.

"Once again, Vietnam demands that China put an end to its inhumane acts, which have caused serious damage to life, property and the legitimate interests of Vietnamese fishermen, and to respect the international law and severely punish those involved in the attacks, to not repeat the same actions and pay compensation for Vietnamese fishermen," Binh said.

Chinese ship sinking of Vietnam’s fishing boat makes global headlines

Many international news agencies and media on May 27 posted articles highlighting a Chinese vessel’s ramming and sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat.

France’s AFP news agency reported that the incident occurred on May 26 when a Vietnamese fishing boat was encircled by 40 Chinese vessels before being attacked.

The boat was sunk about 17 nautical miles southwest where China’s oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 is illegally standing. Ten fishermen on board were promptly rescued by other Vietnamese fishing vessels.

The new agency also quoted the Japanese Government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga as describing China’s act as “extremely dangerous”.

Meanwhile, the UK’s BBC radio highlighted Vice Chairman of Vietnam’s National Assembly Huynh Ngoc Son calling China’s ramming of boats as “terrorist attacks” aiming to intimidate Vietnamese fishermen.

According to the radio, Vietnam has protested China’s illegal placement of the oil rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and at the same time Vietnamese lawmakers are preparing to take China to international tribunal on the rig and ramming incidents.

The radio Voice of Russia and other major global news outlets, such as the US’s Bloomberg, Australia’s ABC and the UK’s Guardian, all highlighted the event that occurred amid the tense bilateral relations over China’s illegal placement of its oil rig in Vietnam’s waters.

On May 2, China stationed the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.

Chinese ships have repeatedly rammed and fired water cannons into Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships which are carrying out their law enforcement missions in the country’s waters, leaving many Vietnamese ships damaged and fisheries surveillance officers injured - VNA

Tran Cham