Vietnam denounces China for attacking its fishermen in the South China Sea

Photo : AP

Vietnam has condemned China following a violent incident involving Vietnamese fishermen near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. According to Vietnamese officials, Chinese law enforcement personnel assaulted ten fishermen, damaging their fishing equipment and seizing approximately four tons of their catch.

The assault was first reported by the fishermen via radio on Sunday, although they did not initially identify their attackers. Vietnamese state media later reported that three of the fishermen suffered broken limbs while others sustained various injuries. Upon returning to Quang Ngai province late Monday, some of the injured fishermen were transported to a hospital on stretchers for treatment.

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Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly attributed the attack to Chinese law enforcement, asserting that the incident represented a serious violation of Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel Islands, as well as a breach of international law and agreements between the leaders of the competing claimant nations. In a formal protest, the Vietnamese government expressed its outrage to the Chinese ambassador in Hanoi, demanding that China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty, conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, and provide further information about the assault.

The South China Sea is a vital maritime route for global trade, with approximately $5 trillion in commerce passing through annually. It is also believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves. The area has seen increasing assertiveness from China, which claims nearly the entire sea, leading to tensions with neighboring countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, all of which have overlapping territorial claims.

Although the United States does not claim any territory in the South China Sea, it has been active in the region, deploying Navy vessels and Air Force fighter jets to patrol the waters and uphold freedom of navigation. In response, China has warned the U.S. against interference, labeling the situation as a purely Asian dispute.

In an account provided to a local newspaper, fisherman Tran Tien Cong described how two foreign boats approached them from behind, with personnel boarding their vessel and physically assaulting the fishermen with a meter-long iron stick. Outnumbered by approximately 40 attackers, the fishermen did not resist. Another fisherman, Nguyen Thuong, recounted that the assailants ordered them to return to Vietnam and confiscated their fishing gear and catch. Following the assault, the fishermen were forced to kneel and were covered with plastic sheets before the attackers departed.

The Paracel Islands, located about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from both Vietnam's eastern coast and China's southernmost province of Hainan, have been under Chinese control since 1974, when China seized them from Vietnam during a brief naval conflict. Satellite imagery from the previous year indicated that China might be constructing an airstrip on Triton Island within the Paracel group, potentially accommodating turboprop aircraft and drones.

China has maintained a small harbor, buildings, and a helipad on the island, alongside radar installations. While Beijing has not disclosed specific details regarding its ongoing island construction projects, it has stated that such activities are aimed at enhancing global navigation safety. Additionally, China has denied allegations from the U.S. and other countries that it is militarizing the region.