The Vietnam Fisheries Society (VFS) on July 7 issued a statement asking China to release a Vietnamese fishing boat and six fishermen on board that it seized four days ago.
VFS voiced its protest against the Chinese side’s seizure, which is the first of its kind since China illegally positioned its oil rig Haiyang Shiyou – 981 in Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in early May.
China must stop harassing, obstructing, robbing and illegally arresting Vietnamese fishermen right away, VFS said.
At the same time, it must offer due compensation to the victims, the society added.
At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude. The location is 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring many people on board.
On July 6, China still kept around 110 ships of all kinds, including five military ships around the rig.-VNA
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