The authorities of An Hai commune in Quang Ngai have confirmed a Vietnamese fishing boat that was captured by Chinese authorities in Hoang Sa archipelago catches holothurians and therefore doesn’t have explosives.

The authorities of An Hai commune in the central province of Quang Ngai have confirmed a Vietnamese fishing boat that was captured by Chinese authorities in Hoang Sa (Paracel Islands) catches holothurians and therefore doesn’t have explosives.

Fishing boats of Ly Son island in Quang Ngai Province.

Chinese border-guards previously stated that they seized the fishing boat, owned by Mai Phung Luu – a citizen in An Hai commune, because sailors on the ship used explosives to catch fish in Hoang Sa. They claimed VND200 million (US$10,000) in fines to release the ship.

An Hai authorities co-operated with Chinese border-guards to verify the case on October 5.

An Hai commune vice chair Truong The My rejected China’s accusation, saying that An Hai’s fishermen mainly catch holothurians by diving so they don’t use dynamite.

The commune asked China for an unconditional release of the boat.

The fishing boat named QNg66478TS and nine fishermen were seized by Chinese border-guards while fishing on the waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago on September 11.

According to a prompt investigation by Vietnamese authorities, the fishing vessel was exercising its normal routine on the waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago, carrying ordinary fishing instruments such as fishing nets and fishing lamps.

Since then, the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry has held discussions with Chinese authorities at different levels in Hanoi and Beijing.

On September 21, the FM’s Consular Department sent a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy in Ha Noi, stressing that the arrest had seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and rights to sovereignty.

The Vietnamese official stated that he hoped a reasonable settlement would be reached based on the long-standing friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

On October 5, the FM once again demanded that China immediately and unconditionally release the ship.

PV