(CPV) - According to the Vietnam Coast Guard Zone 2, a group of 60 Chinese fishing vessels arrived in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, violating Vietnam’s traditional fishing grounds and forcing the Vietnam Coast Guard to drive the vessels away.
Chinese fishing vessels in Vietnam's Paracel Archipelago sea area
Over the past days, the group, sometimes increasing to almost 100 vessels, has violated Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. In particular, the vessels often anchor 20 to 30 nautical miles to the southwestern side of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig, which was placed illegally in Vietnam’s waters by China. Therefore, the vessels are anchored some 126 nautical miles from Ly Son island, part of the central province of Quang Ngai.
These vessels intentionally travelled deep into the Paracel Archipelago, a sea area which is long established as a traditional fishing ground of Vietnam.
Immediately after discovering China’s vessels operating illegally in Vietnam’s Paracel sea area, on June 18, vessel 4033 of the Vietnam Coast Guard approached the Chinese vessels. Speaking in the Chinese language over loudspeakers the Coast Guard directed the fishing vessels and their escort to withdraw from Vietnam’s waters.
Chinese fishing vessels without fishing equipment
However, the Chinese fishing vessels discovered in Vietnam’s waters did not have fishing nets or equipment aboard. They were escorted by China’s Coast Guard vessel 46102 which approached Vietnam Coast Guard vessel 4033 and made slanderous and perverse comments.
According to assessments from officials of the Vietnam Coast Guard zone 2, the Chinese vessels’ coming to Vietnam’s waters obviously did not aim to go fishing since they did not have fishing equipment with them. However, they did bring large ships with weaponry as an armed escort.
According to Colonel Vo Van Kinh, Deputy Political Commissar of Vietnam Coast Guard zone 2, the fishing vessels tried by trickery to establish a presence in East Sea areas belonging to Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone. The Colonel explained that this was a purely dishonest attempt to gradually implement their scheme of violating Vietnamese fishermen’s fishing grounds.
China Coast Guard vessel 46102 escorting the flotilla in Vietnam's fishing grounds.
Đăng ký: VietNam News