The draft law of China's maritime police was announced by the National Assembly on November 6, making many countries with maritime disputes with China concerned. In particular, Vietnam needs to especially monitor the developments of this new bill of Beijing.
Under this bill, the Chinese Coast Guard has the right to use firearms against foreign ships believed to violate "Chinese waters" in two cases: in an emergency situation or when the Chinese warnings (such as the request to stop the train and inspect the train by Chinese authorities) are ignored.
Threatening Vietnamese fishermen
If this bill is passed, it will give the Coast Guard a great power, concern and endanger the fishing activities of Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea.
The concept of "Chinese seas" is a controversial one. China has only general claims about the waters under its sovereignty, sovereignty and jurisdiction but has never stated the specific geographical scope of these waters.
If China relies on the 9-dash line (also known as the U-shaped line) to refer to "the waters of China", it is a violation of international law, because the legality of the 9-dash line is already in court. international arbitration denied.
If China relies on the waters established from the entities in Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (under Vietnamese sovereignty) to determine its "waters", this is also contrary to the Convention of the Union. United Nations on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
If China relies on the declaration of the establishment of Sanskrit governments to indirectly give control of the waters in the South China Sea, it would also be contrary to conventional international practice when a unilateral statement meets. must the strong opposition of the states concerned cannot form a legal basis for the claim.
Therefore, it is the ambiguity in the definition of "Chinese waters" that will lead to the arbitrary Chinese Coast Guard in using weapons against foreign ships in waters they consider themselves to. is "waters of China". This is especially dangerous for Vietnamese fishermen.
The Chinese Coast Guard has repeatedly stabbed and pillaged Vietnamese fishing vessels. A serious fact is the fact that Vietnamese fishing vessels were arrested by the Chinese marine police, Vietnamese fishermen were beaten while exploiting in waters in Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago (China also claimed ) in June.
Thus, giving a great power in the use of weapons to the Chinese Coast Guard can be seen as an act that directly threatens the safety of Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea.
Beijing's Conspiracy
This new Beijing Coast Guard bill clearly demonstrates wise calculations of turning the South China Sea into waters under its control.
With the Chinese Coast Guard's expanded authority to use weapons, Beijing targets vulnerable fishermen of smaller nations, including Vietnam, rather than warships of China. countries traveling in the South China Sea.
This will help China avoid the use of force, which can lead to a legitimate defense from the militaries of the countries in the region or collective self-defense with the participation of states. outside the region, including the US.
As such, Beijing will not need to engage in an unnecessary armed conflict but will still be able to slowly, over time, control the South China Sea, primarily through its maritime police.
Therefore, with a concept that has not been agreed and agreed upon from the countries concerned, especially those that have maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea (including Vietnam), the bill gives permission to extend the right to use weapons of the Chinese Coast Guard, will aggravate conflicts between the parties, complicate disputes here, go completely against the spirit of peace and restraint outlined. issued in the Declaration of Conduct in the East Sea (DOC) that China has always called out to all parties to respect.
Thus, Vietnam needs to pay special attention and closely monitor the development of the new China sea police bill to take necessary measures to protect sovereignty, but first of all, the safety of Vietnamese fishermen. South in the South China Sea.
Diplomatic measures, bilateral and multilateral negotiations through ASEAN are essential.