A Chinese Coast Guard vessel has rammed a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea, prompting fears Beijing is preparing to enforce its illegal claims to the territory.
Vietnamese state media reported a Chinese ship bearing the hull number 4006 had rammed a fishing boat near Lincoln Island in the Paracel Islands. Beijing seized the island chain during its 1974 war with Hanoi. Both nations continue to claim sovereignty.
The fishing boat’s captain says all 16 of his crew leapt overboard after the hull was breached.
Chinese sailors then allegedly boarded the wallowing vessel, seized fish and navigation equipment, and beat and kicked rescued fishermen ordered to pump water out of the damaged vessel.
The stricken craft was assisted in its return to Vietnam by other fishers.
It’s the second time in two months a Vietnamese vessel has been rammed.
A Chinese Coast Guard cutter sank a fishing boat on April 2. Beijing insisted the Vietnamese craft had rammed the Chinese ship and sunk itself.
But South China Sea nations including the Philippines, Taiwan, Borneo and Malaysia are concerned the latest incident broadcasts a new willingness to enforce Beijing’s arbitrary “fishing ban”.
Beijing has been declaring a unilateral summer fishing ban over the South China Sea for several years.
It wants regular halts in all fishing activity above the 12th parallel (which encompasses the Paracels) to allow fish stocks to recover. As it has no internationally recognised jurisdiction over the sea, neighbouring countries have been mainly ignoring the proclamation.
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