Vietnam asked China to immediately and unconditionally set free the 21 Vietnamese fishermen and two fishing vessels seized on March 3, said Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi on March 21.
Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi
“Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago belongs to Vietnam. The seizure of Vietnamese fishermen working in the waters around the archipelago has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, rights and jurisdiction,” Mr Nghi said in his response to media questions about the issue.
Vietnam resolutely objects to this action from China. China should cease all similar actions in the future. A representative from the Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Ministry had met with the Chinese Embassy to give them a diplomatic note outlining Vietnam’s position, Mr Nghi said.
He also added that Vietnam would continue its fight to resolve the matter and protect legitimate rights of local fishermen.
Recently, Tran Ngoc Nguyen, Chairman of Ly Son Island District People’s Committee in the central province of Quang Ngai said one of the seized boats with 11 crew belonged to owner Tran Hien while another with 10 workers was owned by fisherman Le Dinh.
He noted that the boats were held and taken to Phu Lam Island after entering waters in the Paracel Archipelago.
Chinese authorities allowed the detained fishermen to contact their families to inform them of the situation.
District People's Committee official Pham Thi Huong recently told AFP that the fishermen were seized on March 3.
She said that one of the captains of the detained vessels had claimed the Chinese side were demanding 70,000 yuan ($11,000) for their release. However, it was not clear whether this amount was for one or both boats.
Local officials advised the family not to pay and have asked Vietnamese authorities to press for their release, she said.
In late February, Vietnam claimed China had prevented 11 Vietnamese fishermen from entering water off the Paracel Islands to avoid strong winds.
Last week, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement accusing China of "seriously violating" the country’s sovereignty by allowing a Chinese oil company to open bidding for oil exploration off the Paracel islands.
