From the publishers of WorldTribune.com and Geostrategy-Direct.com.
Vietnam-China dispute watched closely by U.S.

Vietnam has seized Chinese fishing vessels in the Gulf of Tonkin, prompting a new round of protests by Beijing.

The Chinese government on Sept. 27 criticized the Vietnamese government for seizing a fishing boat Sept. 23 and detaining its seven-man crew.

"We express strong dissatisfaction ... The Vietnamese side has no right to use force to arrest and detain Chinese fishing boats and fishermen that are carrying out their normal work in traditional fishing areas," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Fu Ying in a statement.

A total of six Chinese fishing boats were seized by the Vietnamese for violating Vietnam's territorial waters.

China and Vietnam clashed militarily in 1988 over fishing in disputed regional territories.

China also has moved military vessels into the Spratlys Islands near Philippines.

U.S. officials are closely watching Chinese activities in Southeast Asia. Intelligence officials fear China, in a drive for energy to feed its growing economy, will seek to expand militarily into Southeast Asia to gain access to oil and natural gas.
East-Asia-Intel, www.eas-asia-intel.com, October 17, 2003
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