The People’s Republic of China is accused of continuing its bully tactics in the South China Sea after it allegedly crashed government-owned vessels into a Vietnamese fishing boat. Seven of the 10 fishermen onboard were assaulted and injured, while three sustained severe injuries, resulting in broken limbs.

A pair of Chinese ships more than 300 feet long from the Hainan-based Sansha City Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau pursued and attacked the fishing vessels, with those on board saying they were assaulted by approximately 40 people over a three-hour period. The attackers stole more than six tons of the vessel’s catch, according to VOA.

Vietnam slammed China in a statement issued by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry calling the act, which took place on Sunday in the highly disputed Paracel Islands, “brutal.”

Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said Hanoi opposes the brutal behavior of Chinese law enforcement forces towards Vietnamese fishermen and fishing vessels.

“Vietnam is extremely concerned about, discontented with, and resolutely opposes the Chinese law enforcement force’s brutal behaviors towards the Vietnamese fishermen,” Hang said.

Hang further demanded China respect Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa archipelago, the Vietnamese name for the Paracel Islands.

“The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sternly communicated with the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi, strongly opposed the above mentioned acts by the Chinese law enforcement force and demanded China to fully respect Vietnam’s0 sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa archipelago, quickly investigate and announce results to the Vietnamese side, and not repeat similar acts,” Hang said.

At least 2 “Chinese Government” vessels waged an attack on a Vietnamese Fishing boat that left several Vietnamese fishermen injured with broken limbs.

No doubt, about who actual perpetrator is? Chinese Coast Guard! 1/x @CollinSLKoh @MalayaIrredentahttps://t.co/q7Xj18B8m9

— Michael Turner (@Michael71T) October 2, 2024

Crew members from 2 Chinese “Govt Owned” vessels recently boarded a Vietnamese Fishing boat, sailing in Vietnam’s water, & brutally assaulted the crew members. CCG has launched attack on Vietnamese civilian boats many times. 1/2 @BRPSierraMadre @MalayaIrredenta @informedph2 pic.twitter.com/zG3aQHEVk3

— Isabella Anderson (@IsabellaAn67) October 3, 2024

“They were beating us mercilessly. I raised my hands to defend myself, knowing we couldn’t fight back. After their attack, they forced us to the front of the ship and covered us with a tarp”.

Chinese pirates have brutally attacked Vietnamese fishermen.

Horrible! 1/3 pic.twitter.com/dZztJD1zP1

— David Walpiri (@DWalpiri) October 3, 2024

Chinese officials denied they had attacked the Vietnamese fishing vessels, and in a statement sent to Reuters, said the vessels had not gained permission from Beijing to fish in that area, and the Chinese vessels had simply taken measures to stop them, citing the measures were “professional and restrained” and further stated “no injuries were found.”

According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the relationship between China and Vietnam, officially, has steadily increased after the nations signed a strategic partnership of cooperation in 2013.

“Positive progress was made in boundary negotiations. The heads of boundary negotiation teams of the two governments met several times for in-depth exchange of views on ways to appropriately address the disputes over the South China Sea … The two sides also agreed to continue to advance cooperation in areas such as marine environmental protection, marine scientific research, maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation and maritime connectivity,” the ministry said.

Despite this positive spin, the “positive progress” between China and Vietnam has continued to deteriorate, as China increasingly becomes more aggressive and violent toward any non-Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. China claims the majority of the region through its “dashed line” which overlaps the sovereign borders of not only Vietnam, but also several other countries bordering the South China Sea, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and Taiwan.

The Paracel Islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves, are approximately 250 miles off the coast of Vietnam and 220 miles off the coast of mainland China. While both nations claim ownership of the islands, China has been rapidly expanding its occupation, which began in 1956, over the past 10 years.

According to high-resolution satellite images published by the Diplomat in 2015, China was expanding runways and airport facilities only two years after signing a cooperation agreement with Vietnam, and has added new land through reclamation on Woody Island. The Paracel Islands is home to a Chinese military garrison which was built on top of a landfill, and reinforced with a concrete seawall.

In May 2023, tensions reached a boiling point after a Chinese research ship, along with five escorts, entered into waters within Vietnam’s economic exclusion zone. The Chinese vessel installed buoys in the waters near the Spratly Islands, another highly-contested area near the coast of the Philippines – which the Philippines also claims sovereignty over. Vietnam demanded the Chinese leave its economic exclusion zone

China has increased its aggression towards the Philippines in recent months, repeatedly clashing with Philippine Coast Guard ships, and going as far as using bladed weapons and spears against those onboard. Chinese vessels have also intercepted the Philippines from restocking naval ships stationed at Sabina Shoal, which is situated within the Spratly Islands about 60 miles off the coast of the Philippines.

In early September, China was caught ramming a Philippine coast guard vessel while a 60 Minutes news crew was on board the ship. Around 14 Chinese vessels surrounded the lone coast guard ship. An international tribunal at the Hague ruled in 2016 the shoal and the islands were all within the Philippines economic exclusion zone, however, China refused to recognize the ruling and deemed the area to have been its territory “since ancient times.”

During an interview with the Philippines Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro, 60 Minutes producer and host Jacqueline Williams asked Teodoro what has changed between China and the Philippines.

“I think what’s changed is the determination of the Philippines to say no … and they don’t like it … The proverbial schoolyard bully is the best example of what China is. You know, it just muscles you over,” Teodor told 60 Minutes.