By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
HANOI, Vietnam – On Tuesday, China responded to Vietnam’s accusation of unlawfully firing on one of its fishing boats near the Paracel islands as a legitimate action.
According to BBC News, China claimed that its patrol boats acted “reasonably” in an alteration with the Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea last week. Furthermore, China states that it fired flares, not weapons, at the fishing boats.
“It [was] necessary and legitimate for China to take action against a Vietnamese shipping boat that has entered China’s waters for illegal activity,” stated Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman. “No damage was caused to the fishing boat from Vietnam at the time,” continued Mr. Lei.
Both China and Vietname claim the Paracel islands, a region China has controlled since a brief war with South Vietnam in 1974.
A Xinhua news agency report quoted an unidentified Chinese navy official characterizing Vietnam’s allegations as “sheer fabrication.”
“After the dissuasion by means of whistle-blowing, shouting and hand-flag guiding was of no avail, the Chinese naval vessels fired two red signal shells into the sky as a warning, and the signal shells burned out and extinguished in the air,” relayed the unidentified Chinese navy official.
However, Vietnam has filed a formal complaint with the Chinese embassy in Hanoi.
“Vietnam strongly protests, urging China to investigate and seriously deal with the wrongful and inhumane act, and compensate Vietnamese fishermen for their loss,” said Luong Thanh Nghi, a Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman.
The South China Sea is a disputed area and has been the root of controversy. According to China, it possesses the U-shaped strip of the sea and points to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for its authority.
Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan also have coinciding claims with China. For instance, last year, the Philippines and China engaged in an extensive “stand-off” over another disputed area, the Scarborough shoal, straining their diplomatic relations. However, the Philippines is not the only country in the region whose relationship with China is deteriorating.
According to BBC News, this recent incident is fueling the existing anti-China feeling in Vietnam. Before last week’s occurrence, a Chinese marine ship in the South China Sea chased two Vietnamese fishing boats. Moreover, in recent months, China has increased its patrolling of the area.
The Chinese navy “are determined to safeguard the country’s sovereignty with their services on the South China Sea,” read the Xinhua report.
For further information, please see:
BBC News – China ‘fired flares’ at Vietnam boat in South China Sea – 27 March 2013
The Guardian – China denies starting fire on Vietnamese fishing boat – 27 March 2013
BBC News – China and Vietnam row over South China Sea clash – 26 March 2013
