Since 2006, the Vietnamese and Chinese Coast Guard forces have conducted 24 joint patrols in the waters adjacent to the Gulf of Tonkin demarcation line, but this is the first time that commanders of the two forces have directly commanded the joint patrol. During the 25th patrol, Ships 8004 and 8003 of the Vietnam Coast Guard and Ships 4304 and 4202 of the China Coast Guard patrolled 13 locations in the waters adjacent to the Gulf of Tonkin delimitation line with a distance of 255.5 nautical miles, from the Northeast of Con Co Island (Vietnam) to the Southeast of Tran Island (Vietnam).
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The two delegations at a meeting to review the outcomes of the patrol on April 13 |
At the talks, Major General Yu Zhong evaluated that the patrol took place in a very special time and held important significance. The chief of the China Coast Guard said that the patrol under the co-command of him and his Vietnamese counterpart demonstrated the two sides’ grasping of common perception of the two parties and two states and their mutual trust. According to him, in spite of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the on-going negotiation of a fishery agreement, the cooperation between the two coast guard forces was maintained, and the presence of the coast guard commanders of the two countries in the event was clear proof for their close cooperation at the highest level.
For his part, Major General Le Quang Dao affirmed the practical significance of the patrol which has contributed to affirming the two countries’ sovereignty, sovereignty right, and jurisdiction over their waters and maintaining law enforcement at sea.
“It can be affirmed that the cooperative relationship between the Vietnamese and Chinese coast guards is a highlight in the relations between Vietnam and countries with waters adjacent to it. We regularly develop new initiatives to ensure safety and security at sea; build waters of peace, cooperation, and development; protect marine ecosystem; create favorable conditions for fishermen to fish at sea; ensure national defense and security of each country,” said Major General Le Quang Dao.
In 2016, the two coast guard forces officially signed a memorandum of cooperation on law enforcement at sea. Since then, the two sides have fostered cooperation in practical contents, including exchange of young coast guard officers. They have sent their ships to visit and officers to each other’s country to study and learn experience in combating piracy and crime at sea. The two sides have regularly briefed each other on the situations in their waters, especially violations of foreign fishing vessels. From the updated information, they have put forward dissemination and education methods to raise fishermen’s trust in the law enforcement force and help them feel secure to fish at sea.
Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Vietnam Coast Guard Colonel Vu Van Ngoc said that thanks to close coordination, since 2018, the Vietnamese coast guard force has handed seven unlicensed frozen cargo ships to the Chinese side to handle as stipulated in the country’s laws before reporting the development back to the Vietnamese side. Also in 2018, the Vietnam Coast Guard seized and handed over an illegal Chinese oil tanker to the China Coast Guard.
The fact shows that joint patrols of the coast guard forces of the two countries have been renewed in a more practical manner. Major General Le Quang Dao told to his Chinese counterpart that this is the first time that the Vietnam Coast Guard has invited representatives of forces in nine coastal provinces (from Quang Ninh to Quang Binh), including the border guard, departments of agriculture and rural development, customs agency, public security force, fishery surveillance personnel, and reporters to join the patrol to have practical experience, thus fostering information dissemination to encourage fishermen to fish in traditional waters, develop economy in Vietnam’s waters, and not to encroach upon foreign waters for illegal fishing. “This is one of the important contents in the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense’s direction to remove the European Commission’s yellow card against Vietnamese seafood,” said Major General Le Quang Dao.
During the patrol, the Vietnam Coast Guard’s ships many times lowered boats, taking inter-sectorial inspection teams to inspect and disseminate laws to fishing trawlers. Trawlers that violated regulations will be handed over to functional forces to handle as stipulated in Vietnam’s laws.
Talking about the participation of forces in the patrol, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Hai Phong municipal Border Guard Command Colonel Hoang Thanh Hai said that the patrol enabled participants to broaden their understanding, exchange information, foster cooperation to ensure maritime security, and check border guard posts.
At the meeting to review the patrol of China’s Ship 4304 on April 13, both Major General Le Quang Dao and Major General Yu Zhong affirmed that this was a model patrol. It met all set targets and plans, actively contributing to the building of waters of peace, friendship, and cooperation.
Translated by Tran Hoai