Vietnam and China conclude joint patrol on Gulf of Tonkin

This represents the first joint patrol in the waters this year and the sixth since the Vietnam-China agreement on fishery co-operation in the Gulf of Tonkin expired on June 30, 2020.

Each side dispatched two ships to join as part of the patrol, which covered waters along 13 points on the delimitation line with a total distance of 255.5 nautical miles from the point 48km northeast of Con Co island to the point 14 miles southeast of Tran island.  

During the course of the patrol, both sides conducted face-to-face talks, monitoring of fishing vessels of both countries operating in the waters adjacent to the delimitation line, and communication activities on legal compliance.

As part of the occasion, the Vietnamese coast guard force set up a working group in order to inspect Vietnamese fishing ships’ compliance to regulations related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The force also held a ceremony in when they paid tribute to fallen soldiers and people who have died in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard Major General Le Quang Dao, who led the Vietnamese side in the joint patrol, said the activity can be considered a success in all aspects, contributing to the development of ties between the two countries and the two coast guard forces.