Vietnam has demanded
that the Chinese side immediately cease actions that violated its sovereignty
and hindered Vietnamese fishing boats and fishermen operating in the waters of
Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

This statement was
made in a diplomatic note sent by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s
representative to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi
on June 2, to protest against Chinese marine forces using weapons to threaten
Vietnamese fishermen who were conducting their normal, legal activities in the
waters of Vietnam’s
Truong Sa archipelago.

The diplomatic note
stated, “China’s actions
seriously violated Vietnam’s
sovereignty and sovereignty rights and were at odds with the Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

On May 31 and June
1, three Chinese military vessels used guns to threaten the crew of PY 92305TS
fishing boat of central Phu Yen province while they are fishing in the waters
of Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago, Vietnam’s relevant agencies said.

According to Phu
Yen province’s border-guard forces, many Phu Yen’s fishing ships that catch
tuna around Truong Sa archipelago were harassed by Chinese military ships so
far this year.

Phu Yen in central Vietnam
has thousands of offshore fishing ships.

PV