China hopes to make joint efforts with Vietnam to fight against
maritime crimes and ensure a stable and harmonious environment for
the two countries' fishermen, according to the Foreign Ministry
on Sunday.
Chinese maritime police shot dead eight armed robbers and
captured eight others who robbed Chinese fishing boats operating on
Jan. 8 at the Chinese side of the Beibu Gulf, according to the
Foreign Ministry.
According to Chinese border police, on the morning of Jan. 8,
six Chinese fishing boats from south China's Hainan Province were
operating on the Chinese side of the Beibu Gulf, and three
unidentified armed vessels came and robbed them 310 fishing nets
and fish products worth more than 3 million yuan (US$361,445) and
the robbers fired at the Chinese boats when they tried to chase
after them.
Chinese maritime police rushed to the spot for rescue
immediately after receiving report from the Chinese fishermen. The
three armed vessels first opened fire at the police boats and
hurled antitank grenades and dynamite to them. Chinese maritime
police were forced to fight back after they had stated their
identity and shot to the sky as warning.
Chinese maritime police intercepted one of the three armed
robber boats in Chinese sea area, while the other two boats entered
Vietnamese sea area.
During the fighting, eight robbers were killed and eight were
seized. One Chinese maritime policeman was injured, one police boat
suffered three gunshots and one Chinese fishing boat suffered eight
gunshots.
Chinese maritime police also seized one submachine gun, one gun
sheath, and 88 bullets, and the rest weapons and ammunition were
seen thrown into sea before Chinese maritime police got aboard.
After the incident, the Chinese side has informed the Vietnamese
side of the issue in detail in accordance with the Sino-Vietnamese
consulate treaty and organized relative visits of the Vietnamese
consulates.
Since the agreements on demarcation and fishery cooperation in
the Beibu Gulf between China and Vietnam took effect last June, the
overall situation there is stable, however, many Chinese fishing
boats have been robbed in the joint fishing area, as has posed
serious threat to the life and property safety of Chinese
fishermen.
(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2005)