Chinese ship hits and sinks Vietnamese fishing boat in South China Sea, detains crew

Chinese ship hits and sinks Vietnamese fishing boat in South China Sea, detains crew

3 April 2020 South China Morning Post

• Vietnam said the Chinese vessel hit the boat near the Paracel Islands before capturing its eight crew members and two boats which came to its rescue
• The move may increase tension in the South China Sea, most of which is claimed by China

A Chinese Coast Guard ship is seen near a Vietnam Marine Guard ship in the South China Sea. Vietnam claims a Chinese vessel hit and sank a fishing boat near the Paracel Islands. Photo: ReutersA Vietnamese fishing boat with eight crew members on board was sunk after being hit by a Chinese ship near the disputed Paracel Islands, local authorities said on Friday, a move that may increase tension in the South China Sea.

“This is the first time a Chinese ship has hit and sunk boats in our commune this year,” said Nguyen Van Hai, a local official from the Quang Ngai province, a few hundred kilometres from the Paracel Islands.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea as its territory and has built artificial islands with military-capable facilities over reefs and outcrops in the area, which are also claimed in part by Vietnam.

South China Sea exclusive economic zones and continental shelf claims. CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/SCMP

Hai said China’s ships hit and sank the fishing boat on Thursday morning before “capturing and detaining the crew” on a nearby island.

Two Vietnamese fishing boats attempted to rescue the eight fishermen, but they were also detained with their ships on the island, state media said, quoting local sources.

China released the eight fishermen and the two Vietnamese rescue boats on Thursday evening.Coronavirus UpdateGet updates direct to your inboxBy registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Local authorities are waiting for them to dock back in Vietnam on Sunday to hear a full report on the case before sending their complaints to higher authorities, Hai said.

Hundreds of Vietnamese boats ‘intrude into Chinese waters’, think tank says7 Mar 2020

In recent years, Vietnam has accused Chinese vessels of attacking Vietnamese fishing boats, with a few incidents corroborated by dramatic videos posted online.

The Paracel Islands are claimed by Vietnam but were occupied by China in the aftermath of a 1974 invasion that killed dozens of Vietnamese.Sign up now and get a 10% discount (original price US$400) off the China AI Report 2020 by SCMP Research. Learn about the AI ambitions of Alibaba, Baidu & JD.com through our in-depth case studies, and explore new applications of AI across industries. The report also includes exclusive access to webinars to interact with C-level executives from leading China AI companies (via live Q&A sessions). Offer valid until 31 May 2020.