Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards on December 22-23 successfully conducted a joint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin. (Photo: VNA) Hai Phong (VNA) –Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards on December 22-23 successfully conducted ajoint patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin, contributing to building the waters ofpeace, stability and mutual beneficial cooperation.
The inspection took place after theVietnam-China agreement on fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin expired onJune 30 this year, with the aim of ensuring normal fishing activities while thetwo countries hold negotiations on cooperation content for the next period.
Vietnam’s ships 8004 and 8003 led byColonel Tran Van Tho, Deputy Commander - Chief of Staff of the Coast GuardRegion 1 Command, and China’s ships 4303 and 22603 headed by Liu Tianrong,Deputy Chief of the Nanhai Division of the Chinese Coast Guard, joined thepatrol.
The patrol targeted 13 points spanning255.5 nautical miles in the sea areas adjacent to the demarcation line in theGulf of Tonkin.
As initially planned, the coast guards willpatrol their own waters and inform each other about found violations. However,the unfavourable weather conditions hindered their efforts to inspect vesselsoperating in the targeted points.
China’s ship 4303 joining the patrol (Photo: VNA) Although the above-said agreement is nolonger valid, Vietnam and China continue to seriously monitor the maritimeboundary agreement in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Through the monthly exchange ofinformation about violations by fishing boats, the two sides have raised theawareness of their fishermen about relevant laws and regulations set in the maritimeboundary agreement in the Gulf of Tonkin.
The joint patrol result has helped toenforce international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Vietnam-Chinaagreement on the delimitation of the territorial seas, exclusive economiczones, and continental shelves in the Gulf of Tonkin signed by the two countries on December 25, 2000.
It has also played arole in preserving maritime resources in the waters and ensuring theirsustainable exploitation, popularising laws among fishermen while operating atsea, promoting the traditional solidarity, neighbourliness and friendshipbetween the two countries, consolidating confidence and creating friendly andopen relations between the coast guards and peoples of the two countries./.
VNA
