China says arrest of Vietnam fishermen lawful
BEIJING: China said Thursday (22 March 2012) the detention of two Vietnamese fishing boats and 21 crew near the disputed Paracel Islands was lawful, after Hanoi demanded their "immediate and unconditional" release.
"China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Xisha (Paracel) Islands.
There is no dispute over this," China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
"The actions of the Vietnamese fishing boats violated China's sovereignty and maritime rights. The actions taken by Chinese authorities were valid law enforcement actions."
Hong further urged Hanoi to "manage and educate" their fishermen and end "illegal poaching" in Chinese waters.
Vietnam's foreign ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi has demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of the men and said their arrest two weeks ago "seriously violated Vietnam's sovereignty".
The detentions are the latest in a string of diplomatic skirmishes between the two neighbours over islands in the South China Sea.
Last week, Hanoi said China had "seriously violated" its sovereignty by allowing a Chinese oil company to open bidding for oil exploration near the Paracel Islands.
The Paracels have been controlled by China since 1974 but are claimed by Vietnam. Beijing says it has sovereignty over essentially all of the South China Sea, a key global trading route.
One-third of global seaborne trade passes through the South China Sea, which is also believed to encompass huge oil and gas reserves.
Source: AFP
Source: I-Net Bridge
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
