Vietnam has asked China to immediately and unconditionally releasefishing vessel QNg 66478TS and its nine fishermen, seized on Sept. 11while fishing near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Pacacel) archipelago.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s representative made the requestduring a meeting with officials of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi on Oct.5.
Immediately after receiving information about theseizure, Vietnam’s concerned agencies conducted verifications andconcluded that the fishing boat and the fishermen, all from the centralprovince of Quang Ngai, were seized while fishing normally interritorial waters around the Hoang Sa archipelago under Vietnam’ssovereignty. When fishing, the ship just carried normal fishingequipment such as nets and floodlights.
Since then,the Foreign Ministry’s representatives have met with Chinese officialsat different levels both in Hanoi and Beijing to deal with the case.
The ministry’s Consular Department officially sent adiplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy on Sept. 21, saying that theChinese sea patrol’s seizure of the Vietnamese ship and its fishermenseriously infringed Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights. Thedepartment demanded the Chinese side promptly and unconditionally freethe fishing vessel and fishermen.
At the Oct. 5meeting, the Chinese Embassy’s representative said the ship usedexplosives to catch fish so China’s relevant agencies demanded its ownerpay a fine and informed the families of the seized fishermen about thedecision. The Chinese side will release the vessel and fishermen oncethe ship owner pays the fine, the representative said.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s representative rejected China’sdecision, stressing that the arrest and penalty are unreasonable andthat ship QNg 66478TS operated normally in the Hoang Sa territorialwaters which are absolutely under Vietnam’s sovereignty.
There were no explosives on the ship and the report, which was sent bythe Chinese fishing control centre to the Vietnamese Embassy in Chinaon Sept. 15, did not mention that the ship carried explosives, theministry’s representative emphasised./.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s representative made the requestduring a meeting with officials of the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi on Oct.5.
Immediately after receiving information about theseizure, Vietnam’s concerned agencies conducted verifications andconcluded that the fishing boat and the fishermen, all from the centralprovince of Quang Ngai, were seized while fishing normally interritorial waters around the Hoang Sa archipelago under Vietnam’ssovereignty. When fishing, the ship just carried normal fishingequipment such as nets and floodlights.
Since then,the Foreign Ministry’s representatives have met with Chinese officialsat different levels both in Hanoi and Beijing to deal with the case.
The ministry’s Consular Department officially sent adiplomatic note to the Chinese Embassy on Sept. 21, saying that theChinese sea patrol’s seizure of the Vietnamese ship and its fishermenseriously infringed Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights. Thedepartment demanded the Chinese side promptly and unconditionally freethe fishing vessel and fishermen.
At the Oct. 5meeting, the Chinese Embassy’s representative said the ship usedexplosives to catch fish so China’s relevant agencies demanded its ownerpay a fine and informed the families of the seized fishermen about thedecision. The Chinese side will release the vessel and fishermen oncethe ship owner pays the fine, the representative said.
The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s representative rejected China’sdecision, stressing that the arrest and penalty are unreasonable andthat ship QNg 66478TS operated normally in the Hoang Sa territorialwaters which are absolutely under Vietnam’s sovereignty.
There were no explosives on the ship and the report, which was sent bythe Chinese fishing control centre to the Vietnamese Embassy in Chinaon Sept. 15, did not mention that the ship carried explosives, theministry’s representative emphasised./.
