Statements by Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh in the Regular Press Conference on 27 May

According to the Vietnamese competent agencies, since the early May 2014, many Vietnamese fishing boats have been repeatedly controlled, violently attacked and seriously damaged by Chinese vessels. More dangerously, Chinese forces even undertook acts that caused injuries to and threatened the life of the Vietnamese fishermen. Those incidents were reported as follows:

 

– On 7 May 2014, in the area 16^o50’N-112^o49’E (10 nautical miles North and Northeast of Linh Con Island, Hoang Sa Archipelago), Quang Ngai fishing boat QNg 96416 TS and 16 fishermen were attacked by Chinese vessel No 1241 using gunshot, water cannons, hammers, bottles and heavy steel bolts. Chinese forces also used sickles to cut cables and destroy communication and positioning systems of Vietnamese fishing boat. After that, another Chinese fishery administration ship, unknown of code number, rammed into the Vietnamese fishing boat, breaking the right side and the whole glass of the crew cabin, and damaging other equipment and properties on board. The loss is estimated at 890 million Vietnamese dong.

 

– At 23:00 on 16 May 2014, another Quang Ngai fishing boat No QNg 90205 TS, during its normal fishing operation in the area 16^o55^‘N-112^o21^‘E, near Phu Lam Island, Hoang Sa Archipelago of Viet Nam, was controlled by Chinese fishery administration boat 306.  More dangerously, Chinese forces boarded the Vietnamese boat to destroy all equipment and properties, attacked and heavily injured two Vietnamese fishermen named Nguyen Huyen Le Anh and Nguyen Tan Hai.

 

– On 17 May 2014, another Quang Ngai fishing boat QNg 96011 TS and 13 fishermen operating in the area 15^o16^‘N-111^o18^‘E, 31 nautical miles from Tri Ton Island, Hoang Sa Archipelago of Viet Nam, was controlled by Chinese vessel 21102. Properties and fishing nets and tools, estimated at 50 million Vietnamese dong, were taken away by Chinese forces.

 

– Most recently, at 16:00 on 26 May 2014, Da Nang fishing boat DNa 90152 TS and 10 fishermen, operating in Viet Nam’s traditional fishing area at 15^o16’42”N-111^o01’30”E, was hit and sunken by Chinese vessel 11209 and the 10 fishermen were left drifting on the sea. They were rescued and saved by Vietnamese fishery control and coast guard vessels.

 

On 27 May 2014, in response to Vietnamese and foreign correspondents’questions concerning Viet Nam’s reaction to those incidents, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh stated:

 

“The above-mentioned acts undertaken by China have violated Viet Nam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the East Sea, as well as the international law, running against the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and further complicating the situation in the East Sea.

 

Once again, Vietnam demands China to end inhumane acts that seriously infringed on the life, properties and legitimate interests of Vietnamese fishermen, respect international law, strictly punish individuals concerned, prevent the reoccurrence of such acts and satisfactorily compensate the affected Vietnamese fishermen.

 

On 27 May 2014, the representative of the Consulate Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in and hand a Note Verbale to the representative of the Chinese Embassy in Ha Noi for  formal  protest./.