On October 2, Vietnam protested to China over what it said was an assault on a Vietnamese fishing boat on September 29 in the disputed South China Sea waters that wounded at least 10 fishermen.
In a statement, Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Chinese personnel attacked the Vietnamese fishermen and confiscated their fishing equipment near Hoang Sa, Vietnam’s name for the Paracel Islands.
A foreign ministry spokesperson stated that the Vietnamese government had “resolutely” protested and instructed China to “immediately release all the fishermen and fishing vessels, appropriately compensate them for the damages and stop the harassment against Vietnamese fishermen” operating in the disputed Paracel Islands.
Local media VnExpress said two Chinese ships surrounded a Vietnamese fishing vessel and around 40 personnel boarded the vessel and used metal rods to hit the fishermen, breaking bones and leaving one man unconscious. Vietnamese fishermen claimed their equipment and fish catch weighing four tons were also taken away by the Chinese before they were permitted to return to land.
A fisherman in his 30s from coastal Binh Thuan province told Voice of America: “The Chinese don’t seem afraid of us. In fact, they behave as if the area belongs to their country.”
Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told Voice of America that although China’s actions towards Vietnamese fishermen around the Paracels were common, Hanoi’s recent reactions revealed its new approach, which were inspired by the Philippines’ transparency initiative, documenting and exposing China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Giang added that Hanoi must adopt a delicate balancing act between its Western allies and China and by embracing a more transparent approach, the world can know about the current South China Sea situation and judge for themselves who is right and wrong.
China said that “on-site operations were professional and restrained, and no injuries were found”, and urged Vietnam “to effectively strengthen education and management of its fishermen and not to engage in illegal activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction.”
Media outlet Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that Vietnam has constructed a new airstrip on Barque Canada reef, an artificial island in the disputed Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea. Satellite images revealed a partial runway of about 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) in length in the middle of the reef.
Since, 2021, Barque Canada reef has witnessed considerable development. Based on RFA’s estimates, as of October 2024, the total landfill area more than doubled in one year to almost 2.5 square kilometers, or 617.7 acres.
Currently, Barque Canada reef, which is called Bai Thuyen Chai in Vietnamese, stretches over a length of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles), making it possible to establish an airstrip of 3,000 meters or more.
Vietnam’s navy claimed to occupy Barque Canada in 1978, but it had to leave subsequently owing to “unsustainable conditions”. A decade later, the navy returned to construct three outposts on the reef, which have now become permanent buildings with facilities for the stationed troops and visiting fishermen, even including a “cultural center”.
Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said Hanoi now controls 27 features in the South China Sea and that although China’s “Big Three” artificial islands remain the largest, the next four largest outposts are all newly expanded Vietnamese reefs. Apart from Barque Canada reef, the other VIetnamese reefs are Namyit island, Pearson reef and Discovery Great reef.
AMTI also pointed out indications of potential military structures have surfaced on several features in the strategic waterway, which is claimed by several countries, including China.
Additionally, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, which conceived and designed AMTI, said satellite images revealed that Vietnam is establishing a runway about 2.4 km long in the South China Sea and could construct two more airstrips.
Photo credit: iStock/ Ian Waldraff
