The Vietnamese government reported on October 2 that Chinese law enforcement officers had assaulted and confiscated fishing equipment from Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands on September 29. Vietnam lodged a protest with the Chinese communist regime, while the Philippine government condemned the unjustified assault. The Paracel Islands are claimed by both Vietnam and China, with the Chinese Communist Party asserting its control over the entire South China Sea, a claim rejected by international courts. The Vietnamese foreign ministry expressed extreme concern and indignation over the incident, stating that several fishermen were injured in the attack. Vietnamese state media reported that 40 individuals from two vessels beat and injured 10 fishermen using iron pipes. The Vietnamese government called on Beijing to investigate the incident and respect Vietnam’s sovereignty, but China responded by accusing Vietnamese ships of illegal fishing without permission. A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry described their actions as professional and restrained, denying any injuries occurred.
The Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano labeled this incident as an egregious act. In recent weeks, there have been several tense encounters between Chinese vessels and the Philippine Coast Guard around various shoals, including collisions between vessels, water cannon firing at a Philippine vessel by a Chinese vessel, and a fleet of 40 Chinese vessels blocking a Philippine resupply mission. The Philippines has filed multiple protests against these actions while international officials have condemned them. The United States even suggested providing an escort for future Philippine resupply missions.
Vietnam’s new leader To Lam is seeking to maintain alliances with all sides amidst these tensions. Lam’s first foreign trip was to meet with CCP leader Xi Jinping in China after upgrading diplomatic ties with the United States as Western countries shift their supply chains away from China towards strengthening liberal rules-based order in Indo-Pacific.
Last month, Vietnam participated in joint coast guard drills with the Philippines within Philippine territory which held great political significance according to Vietnam’s Defense Ministry statement. These exercises aimed to improve cooperation and enhance law enforcement abilities at sea due to concerns about regional stability.
Note: Lily Zhou contributed to this report.