VietNamNet Bridge - 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