Posted on 05/07/2014 10:03:42 AM PDT by mojito
Vietnam said on Wednesday a Chinese vessel intentionally rammed two of its ships in a part of the disputed South China Sea where Beijing has deployed a giant oil rig, sending tensions spiraling in the region.
The foreign ministry in Hanoi said the collisions took place on Sunday and caused considerable damage to the Vietnamese ships. Six people sustained minor injuries, it said.
"On May 4, Chinese ships intentionally rammed two Vietnamese Sea Guard vessels," said Tran Duy Hai, a foreign ministry official and deputy head of Vietnam's national border committee.
"Chinese ships, with air support, sought to intimidate Vietnamese vessels. Water cannon was used," he told a news conference in Hanoi. Six other ships were also hit, other officials said, but not as badly.
Dozens of navy and coastguard vessels from both countries are in the area where China has deployed the giant rig, Vietnamese officials have said.
"No shots have been fired yet," said a Vietnamese navy official, who could not be identified because he was not authorized to speak to media. "Vietnam won't fire unless China fires first."
[....]
...Hanoi has strongly condemned the operation of the drilling rig in what it says are its waters in the South China Sea, and told China's state-run oil company CNOOC to remove it.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“I wonder if Vietnam will kick China’s butt again?”
Possible, but less likely. China’s military is moving away from the large-scale, militia-type force that it had during it’s revolutionary period thru the 1980’s and toward a more modern force.
Last I checked the Vietnamese military was not much more modern than it had been when the Vietnam War ended.
Probably the biggest factor would be the terms of combat: where the fighting takes place and so forth. If it’s an air/naval fight in the South China Sea, bet on China.
They aren’t getting in bed with us, they are arming themselves up.
Most of East Asia isn’t real happy Japan is ramping up.
One party systems need external conflict to distract and contain the disaffected masses. If Dong Sixpack isn’t seething with nationalist rage against Japanese soldiers from 70 years ago, or those pesky Vietnamese, Philippinos, etc., he might just look around and wonder what the Party has done for him lately. Can’t have that.
The Chinese have been disliked and distrusted in SE Asia for centuries.
I do believe that both China and Vietnam still claim to be communist countries.
Lucky the Chinese didn’t sink the boats and kill the crews. Next time Vietnam will not be so lucky. Maybe the Vietnamese can get the Liberal Left in China to protest—maybe some Chinese Movie Stars could march in Beijing? Kerry could come and link arms in support of Vietnam? It worked on us—but will not work on China.
"On May 4, Chinese ships intentionally rammed two Vietnamese Sea Guard vessels," said Tran Duy Hai, a foreign ministry official and deputy head of Vietnam's national border committee. "Chinese ships, with air support, sought to intimidate Vietnamese vessels. Water cannon was used," he told a news conference in Hanoi. Six other ships were also hit, other officials said, but not as badly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.