The South China Sea, Chinese government personnel attacked a Vietnamese fishing boat on Sunday, leaving several fishermen with serious injuries. The incident occurred in the disputed waters of the Paracel Islands, an area long claimed by both China and Vietnam. The confrontation highlights the growing tensions in the region, where China’s expansive maritime claims have led to numerous clashes with neighboring countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines.
The violent encounter took place in the Paracel Islands, situated about 250 miles east of Vietnam and 220 miles southeast of Hainan Island, China. Both countries lay claim to the Paracel archipelago, though China has maintained de facto control over the islands since a 1974 battle with the South Vietnamese Navy. Since then, the Paracels have remained a flashpoint in the broader South China Sea dispute.
On Monday, Vietnamese state media reported that local fishermen, while operating in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands, were attacked by Chinese government vessels. The fishing boat, identified as QNg 95739 TS, was captained by 40-year-old Nguyen Than Bien. He and his crew of nine were intercepted by two Chinese government ships, identified by their hull numbers, 101 and 301, which are part of the Sansha City Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau. The vessels dispatched three rigid-hulled inflatable boats to pursue and surround the Vietnamese fishing vessel, eventually boarding it.
The Chinese personnel, numbering approximately 40, stormed the Vietnamese boat and violently assaulted the fishermen using iron bars about 3 feet long. The attacks left seven of the crew members injured, three of whom sustained broken limbs. The fishermen were reportedly beaten unconscious, and their ship’s equipment was destroyed. Additionally, the Chinese attackers confiscated about six tons of the crew’s catch.
Nguyen Than Bien, the boat’s captain, recounted his harrowing experience to local news outlets. “I was hit so hard I lost consciousness. When I came to, we were all forced to the bow of the ship, made to hold our heads with our hands and bow,” Nguyen said. Another crew member, Huynh Tien Cong, shared a similar account, adding that the attackers had broken both his arms and legs.
Chinese and Vietnamese Reactions
The Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed the fishermen’s claims, with a spokesperson telling Reuters that the Chinese forces had taken “professional and restrained” action against the Vietnamese boat, which they allege was fishing illegally in the Paracel Islands. The spokesperson added that no injuries were reported in the incident. However, Vietnamese state media and the fishermen’s own testimony suggest otherwise, pointing to significant physical harm and financial losses inflicted on the crew.
The Vietnamese government has not yet issued an official statement, and both the Vietnamese and Chinese foreign ministries have so far remained silent on the matter. Local authorities in Vietnam, including Pung Ba Vuong, the chairman of a local jurisdiction in Binh Sơn District, Quang Ngai Province, confirmed the incident and expressed concern over the growing frequency of such confrontations.
Security analyst Duan Dang, who specializes in Vietnam-China relations, pointed out that incidents like this are far from isolated. “Such attacks and robberies occur almost every year,” Dang said. He referenced a similar case last year when crew members of another Quang Ngai-based fishing boat were injured by a Chinese water cannon.
Tensions in the South China Sea
The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between China and Vietnam in the South China Sea, a body of water that has been the subject of intense territorial disputes for decades. The South China Sea is not only rich in marine resources but also a vital corridor for global trade, with an estimated $3.4 trillion in goods passing through it annually. Multiple nations, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, have overlapping claims to the waters and islands in the region.
China’s claim, often referred to as the “nine-dash line,” covers nearly 90% of the South China Sea. This claim, which includes most of the Paracel and Spratly Islands, is based on historical records dating back centuries. However, the claim has been widely rejected by international legal bodies and neighboring countries, with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruling in 2016 that China’s claims have no legal basis. Despite this ruling, China has continued to assert its claims through military build-ups and the establishment of artificial islands in contested areas.
The Paracel Islands, where Sunday’s incident occurred, have long been at the heart of the China-Vietnam dispute. In 1974, China seized the islands after a battle with the South Vietnamese Navy, solidifying its control over the archipelago. Since then, China has established a military presence on the islands, constructing airstrips, radar systems, and missile defense installations.
Vietnam-China Relations
While relations between Vietnam and China have improved in recent years, incidents like the attack on the Vietnamese fishing boat show that deep-rooted tensions remain. Vietnam, a smaller country with fewer military resources than China, has traditionally sought to balance its relationship with its powerful northern neighbor, while simultaneously strengthening its ties with other countries, particularly the United States and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In recent years, Vietnam has publicly rebuked China’s actions in the South China Sea on several occasions. For instance, in March 2023, Vietnam condemned China’s decision to extend its territorial claims with a new baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin. Despite these occasional public condemnations, Vietnam’s response to Chinese actions in the South China Sea has often been measured, reflecting its careful diplomatic strategy aimed at avoiding direct confrontation.
The attack on the Vietnamese fishing boat could prompt Vietnam to take a stronger stance against China’s maritime activities, especially if public outrage over the incident continues to grow. Fishing is a vital industry in Vietnam, particularly in coastal provinces like Quang Ngai, and attacks on Vietnamese fishermen have often sparked nationalist sentiments and calls for a more assertive response to China.
China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea have also drawn international attention, particularly from the United States. The U.S. has consistently voiced its opposition to China’s expansive claims in the region, and the South China Sea has become a focal point of U.S. foreign policy in Asia.
The United States views freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as critical to global commerce and has conducted regular “freedom of navigation” operations in the area. These operations involve U.S. Navy ships sailing close to disputed features in the South China Sea to challenge China’s claims and assert the principle that the waters should remain open to international shipping.
In response to China’s actions in the region, the U.S. has also strengthened its security ties with several Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam. Although the two nations share a complicated history due to the Vietnam War, their mutual concern over China’s growing assertiveness has led to a significant warming of relations in recent years. The U.S. has provided Vietnam with patrol boats and other military equipment to help it defend its maritime claims. The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the latest attack on the Vietnamese fishing boat, but given the United States’ strategic interest in the South China Sea, the incident is likely to attract attention in Washington.
The attack on the Vietnamese fishing boat is the latest example of the rising tensions in the South China Sea, where China’s aggressive maritime claims have led to repeated confrontations with its neighbors. While Vietnam and China have maintained relatively cordial relations in recent years, incidents like this could test the limits of that goodwill.
For the fishermen of Quang Ngai Province, the attack has not only resulted in serious physical injuries but also significant financial losses, as six tons of their catch were taken by the Chinese personnel. As the region continues to grapple with territorial disputes, the livelihoods of these fishermen remain at risk, caught in the crossfire of larger geopolitical battles.
The South China Sea dispute is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, and as long as tensions persist, confrontations between Chinese forces and neighboring countries’ fishing vessels may continue to escalate, posing a challenge for regional stability and international maritime law.
