There have been numerous reports from journalists who have witnessed increased aggressive and provocative actions by China in the East Sea in recent days.

Each time Vietnam’s coast guard has found ways to access the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig, Chinese ships have closely followed, trying prevent Vietnamese vessels from getting near. One Vietnamese vessel is typically tailed by at least three Chinese ships, making it impossible for Vietnamese forces to carry out their legal missions within their own territory.

On the morning of May 18, two Chinese ships closely followed and then attacked the Vietnamese coast guard ship No. 2013, destroying all guard-rails. Luckily there were no casualties.

According to deputy head of the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department, Nguyen Van Trung, China has sent two more armed naval ships to patrol the waters surrounding the oil rig, including a fast-attack craft ship equipped with missiles and a swift patrol vessel with attack capabilities.

He added that, as Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance ships have approached the oil rig to demand that China dismantle it, they have been routinely encircled by Chinese ships, rammed and blasted with water cannons.

China’s ships continually attack Vietnamese fishing boats

A Vietnamese fishing boat owned and captained by Huynh Tan Duoc from Ly Son Island had to return home on May 18 after being attacked by a Chinese ship.

"We were fishing in Hoang Sa waters on the evening of May 17 when a white Chinese ship approached. They stole and destroyed our equipment and took our entire catch of over 400 kilogrammes. They also demanded we leave the area, " Duoc said. "Having nothing left, all our 14 crew members had no choice but to return to Ly Son Island."

This was the fifth reported attack by Chinese ships against Vietnamese fishing boats since China deployed the illegal oil rig. Recently, many fishing boats from Quang Ngai have been chased and harassed by Chinese ships in Hoang Sa waters and fishermen have been illegally detained, their property and payloads confiscated.

A fishing boat No. QNg 90205-TS from the central province of Quang Ngai was also attacked by the Chinese fisheries administration ship on May 16 while operating near in Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

According to Pham Van On, Chief of the Office of the provincial Steering Board for Flood and Storm Control and Search and Rescue, China’s ship attacked the Vietnamese fishing vessel, beating the fishermen onboard. Two of the 12 Vietnamese fishermen suffered from serious injuries and were transferred to Quang Ngai Hospital for treatment. Crew members on the Chinese ship also damaged or seized all property.

One of the two fishermen who were seriously injured on the fishing boat No. QNg 90205-TS
being transferred to Quang Ngai Hospital for treatment

The boat managed to escape and seek medical assistance from the Vietnamese coast guard before returning on the morning of May 18.

There were also two incidents on May 7. One involved the fishing boat QNg 96416-TS, captained and owned by Nguyen Van Loc from Quang Ngai Province, which was chased and rammed by a Chinese ship in the Hoang Sa area, suffering damage to its sides and cabin.

On the same day, another fishing boat QNg 96147, captained by Duong Van Giau from An Hai commune, Ly Son district, was chased by a Chinese military ship.

The crew of the Chinese ship boarded the Vietnamese vessel and assaulted the fishermen on board, destroying all communications equipment and taking the entire catch.