Up to 123 Chinese vessels on June 25
aggressively approached Vietnamese law enforcement ships to prevent them from
getting close to rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 that is illegally standing in Vietnam’s
waters, reported the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department.
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The Chinese side is
becoming more and more aggressive in defending its illegal oil rig.
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The Chinese vessels, including patrol, coast
guard, cargo ships and tugboats, simultaneously harassed Vietnamese ships by
basting sirens, chasing and driving them away, while staying ready to ram them
at any time, said the department.
At 7:00-7:30, a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft
was also seen flying at a height of 1,500 m above the rig before leaving,
according to the department.
Meanwhile, 40 Chinese fishing vessels, supported
by two coast guard ships coded 46102 and 46106, tried to stop Vietnamese
fishing boats from fishing in the area near the rig, which is the traditional
fishing ground of Vietnamese fishermen.
However, despite the aggressive acts of the
Chinese side, Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships tried to
avoid collision and stayed at the site to continue performing their mission in
the area, demanding China to immediately remove the rig out of Vietnam’s
waters, the department stated.
They also ensured safety for Vietnamese fishing
boats during their normal operation in their traditional fishing ground near
the rig, it said.
At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally
dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships
and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29
minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east
longitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive
economic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its
scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north
latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical
miles deep inside Vietnam ’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
China’s armed vessels have aggressively and
consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against
Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and
injuring many people on board.
Chinese ships have also continuously encircled,
constrained and driven away Vietnamese fishing boats operating normally in its
traditional fishing ground near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago.
Source: VNA
