China dispatches reconnaissance jet to oil rig
VGP - The Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance force on June 14 detected a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft flying at the height of 300-500m above the Haiyang Shiyou-981 rig which is standing illegally inside Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, according to the national news agency.
China maintained about 120 vessels of all kinds at the site on the day, and its fishing vessels, assisted by coastal guard ships, became more aggressive in disrupting regular fishing activities of Vietnamese boats, pushing them away 38-40 nautical miles from the rig.
Other Chinese ships operated in group to stop Vietnamese fisheries surveillance vessels from approaching the rig, ready to ram or fire water cannons at Vietnamese ships any time to drive them away.
Viet Nam News Agency reporters on board Vietnamese fisheries surveillance vessels said despite bad weather, rough sea and the Chinese ships’ violent acts, Viet Nam’s force maintained its communication activities to demand the withdrawal of the oil rig and Chinese ships from Viet Nam’s waters./.
