China boat reportedly attacks and sinks Vietnam vessel

HANOI: 10 fishermen were rescued on Monday after a Chinese boat reportedly attacked and sank a Vietnamese fishing vessel in disputed waters.

Bloomberg News said on Tuesday the incident took place off a Chinese oil rig located near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, citing Vietnam News.

"A Vietnamese boat from the central city of Da Nang was deliberately encircled by 40 fishing vessels from China before it was attacked by a Chinese ship," Vietnamese coastguard commander Nguyen Quang Dam told Reuters.

Other Vietnamese fishing vessels nearby rescued the 10 fishermen on board following the incident.

In Japan, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said if the reports were true, it was an "extremely dangerous act".

"It's important that relevant countries abstain from unilateral actions that raise tensions and that the countries act cool-headedly, observing international laws," said Suga, the chief cabinet secretary.

China’s placement of the oil rig sparked deadly protests in Vietnam earlier in May. Beijing evacuated thousands of nationals following the violence.

Also, dozens of Chinese and Vietnamese vessels, including many civilian and fishing boats, have engaged in repeated skirmishes near the giant oil rig, including reported rammings and the use of water cannon.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.