The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on October 14 sent a diplomaticnote to the Chinese Embassy, once again requesting coordination insearch for Boat QNg 66478TS and its nine-member crew as well asprovision of any information.
The request wasannounced by MoFA Spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga at the ministry’sregular press briefing in Hanoi on the same day.
According to the spokesperson, on September 11, 2010, the Chinesecaptured Boat QNg-66478TS and nine Vietnamese fishermen onboard withinthe territorial waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.
Immediately after receiving the news, competentVietnamese agencies investigated the case and found that thefishermen were legally fishing offshore Hoang Sa archipelago when theywere seized. The boat was only carrying normal fishing equipment such as nets and floodlights.
MoFA had contacted its Chinese partners at different levels in Hanoi and Beijing to seek solutions to the issue.
Earlier, the ministry sent a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassysaying that China's seizure of the Vietnamese vessel and its fishermenwhile they were legally fishing in the Vietnamese territorial watersseriously violated Vietnam's sovereignty and sovereign rights. Theministry also demanded the Chinese side immediately and unconditionallyrelease the fishing vessel and fishermen.
On October9, China decided to release Boat QNg 66478TS. The boat and its ninefishermen, as reported by the Chinese side, departed at1.00 pm on October 11.
However, until the morning ofOctober 13, neither the boat nor the fishermen returned home.The MoFA representatives met Chinese Embassy staff in Vietnam,asking the Chinese side to join hands with Vietnamese competent agenciesto seek the boat and the fishermen.
In the evening ofOctober 13, the Chinese Embassy said that when releasing the Vietnameseboat and fishermen, the Chinese had provided them with sufficient fueland other necessities for their return journey. Boat QNg 66478TS left port at 1.00 pm on October 11 and then, it came back to ask for morefuel and the Chinese side agreed.
The Chinese agenciesalso advised the Vietnamese fishermen to stay for severaldays because of a tropical depression in the East Sea. However,the fishermen decided to depart and committed in writing that they wouldbe fully responsible for their decision. The boat and fishermen set off on the evening of October 11.
The Chinese Embassy said that it would ask competent Chinese agencies to coordinate in searching for the boat and fishermen./.
The request wasannounced by MoFA Spokesperson Nguyen Phuong Nga at the ministry’sregular press briefing in Hanoi on the same day.
According to the spokesperson, on September 11, 2010, the Chinesecaptured Boat QNg-66478TS and nine Vietnamese fishermen onboard withinthe territorial waters of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.
Immediately after receiving the news, competentVietnamese agencies investigated the case and found that thefishermen were legally fishing offshore Hoang Sa archipelago when theywere seized. The boat was only carrying normal fishing equipment such as nets and floodlights.
MoFA had contacted its Chinese partners at different levels in Hanoi and Beijing to seek solutions to the issue.
Earlier, the ministry sent a diplomatic note to the Chinese Embassysaying that China's seizure of the Vietnamese vessel and its fishermenwhile they were legally fishing in the Vietnamese territorial watersseriously violated Vietnam's sovereignty and sovereign rights. Theministry also demanded the Chinese side immediately and unconditionallyrelease the fishing vessel and fishermen.
On October9, China decided to release Boat QNg 66478TS. The boat and its ninefishermen, as reported by the Chinese side, departed at1.00 pm on October 11.
However, until the morning ofOctober 13, neither the boat nor the fishermen returned home.The MoFA representatives met Chinese Embassy staff in Vietnam,asking the Chinese side to join hands with Vietnamese competent agenciesto seek the boat and the fishermen.
In the evening ofOctober 13, the Chinese Embassy said that when releasing the Vietnameseboat and fishermen, the Chinese had provided them with sufficient fueland other necessities for their return journey. Boat QNg 66478TS left port at 1.00 pm on October 11 and then, it came back to ask for morefuel and the Chinese side agreed.
The Chinese agenciesalso advised the Vietnamese fishermen to stay for severaldays because of a tropical depression in the East Sea. However,the fishermen decided to depart and committed in writing that they wouldbe fully responsible for their decision. The boat and fishermen set off on the evening of October 11.
The Chinese Embassy said that it would ask competent Chinese agencies to coordinate in searching for the boat and fishermen./.
