On Sunday, reporters from CNN, Asahi Shimbun, Yomiury Shimbun, and Viet Weekly visited the owner and crew of the fishing boat which was capsized by a Chinese ship on 26 May.  The boat, DNa 90152, is owned by Mrs Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa from Da Nang’s Thanh Khe District.

The foreign reporters expressed their strong indignation about China’s illegal actions, and they also wanted to demand that the Chinese side immediately stop its aggressive activities in Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone.

The reporters interviewing some crew members from the upturned boat

Vietnamese-born American Etcetera Nguyen from the USA’s Viet Weekly said that he became aware that China had illegally positioned the HD-981 drilling rig in Viet Nam’s territorial waters on 2 May.  However, foreign reporters like him need to visit a scene to see what is happening with their own eyes and then make objective assessments.  For this reason, he and other foreign reporters had been on board Vietnamese ships making trips out to the Hoang Sa waters.  The reporter affirmed that some Chinese ships had intentionally chased Vietnamese coastguard and fisheries surveillance ships in Viet Nam’s territorial waters, sometimes coming within 30 metres.  He added that in recent days international opinion has strongly condemned the aggressive actions of the Chinese.

During their trips to the Hoang Sa waters, Mr Nguyen and other reporters took many photos and film footage which is substantial evidence for proving China’s provocative actions.  He also took the opportunity to express his belief that China, Viet Nam and even Japan should settle disputes in the East Sea through peaceful negotiations.

The other foreign reporters also vowed that they would release information relating to the aggression to international readers worldwide.  This should help to bring China’s inhumane actions to light.