Vietnam says China assaulted
fishermen
(Việt Nam lên án Tầu hành hung ngư dân Việt Nam)
(AP) – 2 days ago (01/3/2012)
HANOI,
Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has accused China
of assaulting its fishermen in the South China Sea,
in the countries' latest spat over disputed territory believed to be rich in
natural resources.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said the Chinese action "seriously infringed" upon Vietnam's sovereignty and "gravely threatened lives and caused heavy property losses."
The state-controlled newspaper Vietnam News reported Thursday that China used force to threaten 11 Vietnamese fishermen on Feb. 22, preventing them from entering the Paracel islands to avoid a storm. It said Chinese forces assaulted the fishermen and tried to take their property.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said the Chinese action "seriously infringed" upon Vietnam's sovereignty and "gravely threatened lives and caused heavy property losses."
The state-controlled newspaper Vietnam News reported Thursday that China used force to threaten 11 Vietnamese fishermen on Feb. 22, preventing them from entering the Paracel islands to avoid a storm. It said Chinese forces assaulted the fishermen and tried to take their property.
Vietnam
lodged a protest with the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, demanding compensation for the
fishermen and an end to the attacks, Nghi said in a statement posted late
Wednesday on the ministry's website.
Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesman Hong Lei denied the fishermen were assaulted, saying Chinese
authorities simply compelled Vietnamese ships to leave Chinese-claimed waters
near the Paracels, which it calls the Xisha Islands.
"We call on Vietnam to pay real respect to China's sovereignty over the Xisha Islands
and take effective measures to step up education and management of Vietnamese
fishermen and stop illegal fishing activities to preserve China-Vietnam
relations," Hong told a regular briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
The contested islands lie
near vital shipping lanes and are believed to be rich in oil and gas. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea,
while Vietnam
and other Southeast Asian countries claim some areas.
Last summer, tensions rose
as Vietnamese staged rare protests in Hanoi over
allegations that China
interfered with Vietnam's
exploration activities in the sea. Beijing
denied the charge.
China
has occupied the disputed Paracels since 1974, but Vietnam claims sovereignty. The U.S. has said
it has a national interest in ensuring freedom of navigation in the area.
Last month, the U.S.
Congress said it would approve the transfer of a second ship to the Philippines to help its navy defend its waters
following spats with China
over territory in the South China Sea.
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