China/Vietnam/South China Sea: Vietnam, Chinese Boats Clash Near Disputed South China Sea Isles

Jun 14, 2015 | John Boudreau, Bloomberg
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Vietnamese fishing craft clashed with Chinese boats near the disputed Paracel Islands last week, underscoring simmering tensions between the two communist countries even as their leaders talk of improving relations. Chinese vessels damaged a Vietnamese fishing boat with water cannons on June 7 and three days later a Vietnamese fishing boat was attacked and robbed of equipment and its catch, Thanh Nien newspaper reported Sunday. The clashes follow other recent incidents, with a Chinese marine police boat reportedly spraying water cannons at a Vietnamese fishing vessel in late May.