The Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development visited fishermen in central Quang Ngai Province on Sunday, presenting them with gifts and promising support for them amid tension in the East Vietnam Sea caused by the deployment of China’s illegal oil rig in Vietnam’s waters.

>> Vietnam plans $756mn for developing marine law enforcement forces>> China deploys 116 ships in Vietnam’s waters to threat local vessels >> China seizes Vietnamese ship with 6 fishermen off Hoang Sa>> Vietnam preparing documents to sue China: premier Minister Cao Duc Phat led a mission to the province where he had a meeting with local authorities and handed over VND15 million (US$705) to the Binh Chau Commune fishing union and VND5 million ($235) each to five local fishing cooperative groups as support for their operation. In addition, each of 20 fishermen in Binh Chau Commune, Binh Son District, received VND3 million ($141) in cash in addition to other goods. The visit was made in the context that China has illicitly maintained oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Vietnamese waters near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago since May 1 and deployed more than 100 Chinese vessels to guard the platform. These vessels have since rammed and fired water cannons at Vietnamese ships in the area, injuring 15 fisheries surveillance and Coast Guard officers as well as four fishermen. The foreign ships have also damaged 27 boats belonging to Vietnam’s marine law enforcement and Coast Guard forces and seven local fishing boats. Despite these attacks, local fishing ships tried to maintain operations in their fishing ground, contributing to the affirmation of Vietnam’s sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. At a meeting with local fishermen yesterday, the minister hailed all fishermen for standing side by side with law enforcement forces to safeguard the country’s sea and island sovereignty. He also affirmed to the fishermen that the government has approved a VND16 trillion ($752.5 million) credit package to support local fishermen and maritime law enforcement forces nationwide. Of the package, VND4.500 trillion ($211.3 million) will be used to build boats for catching fish far off-shore while the remainder will be disbursed to construct ships for the Vietnamese Coast Guard and fisheries resources surveillance forces, the minister said.16 ships attacked by Chinese vessels Quang Ngai now has 5,500 fishing boats, belonging to 5 fisheries associations with about 2,350 members who are all fishermen, said Pham Truong Tho, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee. Of these boats, 450 operate regularly off Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa archipelagos in the East Vietnam Sea, Tho added. Since early May, 16 fishing ships of the province have been attacked by Chinese vessels while the local ships were operating in their fishing grounds in the Vietnamese waters near the two archipelagoes, the official said. Quang Ngai leads the country in the number of fishing boats operating off Hoang Sa, he added.$15.5 million for Quang Ngai The government will spend VND330 billion ($15.5 million) on improving the fisheries infrastructure of the province, Minister Phat told the provincial authorities. Of the amount, VND185 billion ($8.7 million) will be invested in further upgrading the My A sea mouth in Duc Pho District, VND100 billion ($4.7 million) will be spent on building a berth for fishing vessels on Ly Son Island, and the other VND45 billion ($2.1 million) will be used to upgrade the Sa Ky fish port, the minister said. “It is necessary to build a strong fisheries logistic infrastructure to help boost the efficiency of fishermen’s activities, especially trade of animal products,” he added.

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