VN protests China boat shooting

Viet Nam yesterday, March 25, protested the actions of some Chinese ships in chasing and firing on a Vietnamese fishing boat fishing in Vietnamese waters off its Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

It also demanded that China investigates the incident and takes remedial measures including compensating the Vietnamese fishermen.

Responding to reporters' queries on Viet Nam's response to the incident, Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said that on March 20, fishing boat QNg 96382 TS from the central province of Quang Ngai was conducting its normal fishing activities in traditional fishing grounds near Viet Nam's Hoang Sa archipelago when it was chased and shot at by Chinese vessels.

He called it "an extremely serious incident" that has violated Viet Nam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, threatened the lives of Vietnamese fishermen and damaged their property.

It was also in serious breach of the principles of international law and the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea issues between Viet Nam and China, and runs counter to the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), the official said.

Viet Nam protest the actions of some Chinese ships in chasing and firing on a Vietnamese fishing boat fishing in Vietnamese waters off its Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

Viet Nam demands China investigates and strictly deals with such a wrongful and inhumane action, and compensate Vietnamese fishermen for damage suffered, Nghi said.

Also yesterday, a Foreign Ministry representative met a Chinese Embassy representative in Ha Noi and handed over a diplomatic note opposing the latest actions by the Chinese side. 

Source: VNS