PH slams China’s ‘violent, illegal’ actions against Vietnamese fishermen

The National Security Council of the Philippines (NSC) on Friday condemned the recent attack by Chinese law enforcers on a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea.

“We strongly condemned the violent and illegal actions of Chinese maritime authorities against Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands on September 29, 2024,” the NSC said in a statement.

“We stand with Vietnam in denouncing this egregious act and calling for accountability. China must uphold international maritime laws and cease all hostile activities that endanger the lives and livelihoods of civilian mariners,” it added. “The Philippines reaffirms its commitment to peace, security, and respect for international law.”

Vietnamese state media earlier reported that around 40 Chinese law enforcers had beaten their fishermen with iron pipes, injuring 10 of them.

The Vietnamese foreign ministry said that the Chinese maritime authorities also took away the fishing equipment of the Vietnamese fishermen.

The NSC said China's actions “escalate tensions and threaten regional security.”

“Such use of force against civilian fishermen blatantly violates international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and breaches basic human decency. Fishermen, as vulnerable maritime workers, deserve protection—not harm—at sea,” it said.

Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said in an X post that China is skilled at “denying and lying” about their actions and maneuvers in the South China Sea.

“It's important to remember that China lacks any legitimate law enforcement activities in the Paracel Islands,” he said.

He emphasized that Vietnamese fishermen only took a stand and that China was willing to attack civilian entities.

“It shows that Vietnam is no longer going to remain silent in exposing China's aggressive and brutal actions throughout the South China Sea,” he said.

He called on other countries in the region to “unite to denounce and expose” the actions of China in the South China Sea.

“Silence only condones China's behavior, allowing the China Coast Guard to continue their unlawful activities with impunity. We cannot passively accept China's bullying; it’s time to take a stand and raise our voices to the world!” he said.

“China's barbaric, aggressive, and unlawful actions not only threaten our respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) but also challenge the international rules-based order, putting it at risk!” he added.

The Philippines has also been a subject lately of aggressive actions by China amid tensions in the disputed waters.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has not recognized the decision. — with a report from Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News