Vietnam condemns China for attacks on its fishermen in the disputed South China Sea

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam condemned China on Thursday, citing Chinese law enforcement officials attacked 10 Vietnamese fishermendamaged their fishing gear and confiscated about 4 tons of fish catch near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

Fishermen reported the attack near the Chinese-controlled islands by radio on Sunday but did not identify the attackers.

According to Vietnamese state media, three of the fishermen suffered broken limbs and the rest suffered other injuries. Some were taken to a hospital on stretchers after returning to Quang Ngai province late Monday.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday blamed Chinese law enforcement personnel for the attack on the high seas, saying it had “severely violated Vietnam’s sovereignty in the world.” Paracel Islands“International law and an agreement between the heads of state and government of both countries to better resolve their territorial disputes.”

Chinese officials did not immediately respond.

Vietnam conveyed protest and concern about the attack to the Chinese ambassador in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Vietnam called on Beijing to respect its sovereignty in the Paracel Islands, open an investigation and provide information about the attack, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Pham Thu Hang said in a statement.

China has become increasingly aggressive in asserting its claims across virtually the entire country South China Sea, Approximately $5 trillion is transacted in global trade each year. The sea passage is also believed to lie on vast underground deposits of oil and gas.

In addition to China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the strategic waterway.

The United States has no claims in the disputed waters, but has deployed Navy ships and Air Force fighter jets to patrol the waterway and promote freedom of navigation and overflight. China has warned the US against interfering in what it says is a purely Asian dispute.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement on the social media platform on Thursday that “China will refrain from dangerous and destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea.”

Vietnamese newspaper Tien Phong quoted one of the fishermen, Tran Tien Cong, as saying that two foreign boats approached them from behind and personnel from the vessels boarded their boat and began attacking the fishermen with a meter-long (three-meter-long) foot long) blow. long) rod, apparently made of iron.

The Vietnamese fishermen panicked and did not defend themselves because they were overwhelmed by an estimated 40 attackers, it said. Another fisherman, Nguyen Thuong, was quoted as saying that the attackers, speaking through a translator, ordered them to sail back to Vietnam. The attackers then confiscated their fishing equipment and catch.

After being beaten, the Vietnamese fishermen were forced to kneel and covered with plastic sheets before the attackers left.

The Paracel Islands lie about 400 kilometers (250 miles) off the east coast of Vietnam and about the same distance from China’s southernmost province of Hainan. Both countries, along with the self-governing island of Taiwan, claim ownership of the islands.

The islands have been under China’s de facto control since 1974, when Beijing captured them from Vietnam in a brief but intense maritime conflict.

Last year, satellite photos showed that China appeared to be building an airstrip on the Paracel Group’s Triton Island. At the time, it appeared the runway would be large enough for turboprop planes and drones, but not fighter jets or bombers.

China has also had a small port and buildings on the island for years, as well as a helipad and radar systems.

China has refused to provide details of its island-building work, other than to say it is aimed at promoting global shipping security.

It has rejected accusations, including from the USA, that it would militarize the sea passage.