Chinese Defense Ministry admits shooting at Vietnamese fishing boat

China says its navy fired flares at Vietnamese fishing boats.Malebut denied damaging one of the fishing boats.

Vietnamese fishing boatMaleChina shot down the cabin roof.
Photo: VnExpress

The US news agency AP reported yesterday that the Chinese Ministry of Defense admitted that sailors on a Chinese naval ship fired two flares at four Vietnamese vessels. The ministry's statement said that their actions were due to previous signals asking the fishing boats to leave the area but failed. The statement also insisted that the Chinese forces did not fire weapons and that no Vietnamese vessels were involved.Maleshot

Meanwhile, Xinhua News Agency quoted an unnamed Chinese naval official as saying: "The truth is that at 10:30 a.m. on March 20, four Vietnamese fishing boatsMaleillegally entered and fished in Chinese waters in the Xisha Islands (China calls the Paracel Islands). The crew on the Chinese patrol boat tried to demand that the Vietnamese fishing boatMaleleft the area by shouting, blowing the horn, waving the flag but failed. After that, the Chinese ship fired two warning flares into the sky, which burned out in the air."

At a press conference in Beijing yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei refused to answer questions about whether or not a Chinese ship had fired on a Vietnamese fishing boat and whether the Chinese ship was a warship. He distorted the facts by stating: “The response of the Chinese authorities to an illegal Vietnamese fishing boat was correct and reasonable,” and blatantly said: “We hope that the Vietnamese side will take serious steps to improve the education and management of fishermen to avoid such illegal activities.”

On March 25, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said that fishing boat QNg 96382 TS of fishermen from Quang Ngai province was being chased by a Chinese ship while conducting normal fishing activities in the traditional fishing grounds of Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago and was shot and burned in the cabin.

Mr. Nghi affirmed: "This is an extremely serious incident, violating Vietnam's sovereignty.Maleto the Paracel Islands, threatening the lives and causing damage to the property of Vietnamese fishermen.Male. Vietnam resolutely protests and requests that China investigate and strictly handle the above-mentioned wrongful and inhumane actions and compensate for the damages caused to Vietnamese fishermen.”

America opposes the use of force

From Washington, the US State Department has responded to the latest tense developments in the East Sea. According to the British news agency BBC, speaking to reporters on March 26, Mr. Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy spokesman of the US State Department, said that the country was "concerned" when hearing about the incident. The US is currently seeking more information.

“We strongly oppose the threat or use of force or coercion by any party to advance its claims in the South China Sea,” said Mr. Ventrell. He commented that the incident showed the need for a code of conduct to handle disputes “in a transparent and principled manner.”

According to Vietnamnet-M