Watch: China Holds Live-Fire Exercises in Gulf of Tonkin Amid Vietnam’s Territorial Claims
The Chinese Maritime Safety Administration announced the drills on Monday, stating they would focus on the Beibu Gulf area near China’s side of the gulf and continue through Thursday evening.
Bangkok: China has commenced live-fire exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin, days after Vietnam marked its territorial claims in the region. The Chinese Maritime Safety Administration announced the drills on Monday, stating they would focus on the Beibu Gulf area near China’s side of the gulf and continue through Thursday evening.
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Vietnam’s Legal Justification for Claims
Vietnam recently established a baseline to calculate the width of its territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. The state-run Vietnam News reported that this move aligns with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, providing a legal framework to safeguard Vietnam’s sovereignty. However, Vietnam has not yet responded to China’s military exercises.
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Longstanding Disputes in the South China Sea
Despite a maritime agreement between China and Vietnam over the Gulf of Tonkin, the two nations continue to clash over the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. China has been increasingly assertive in its claims, with reports of violent encounters. In October, Chinese forces allegedly assaulted 10 Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands, leaving three with broken limbs.
China’s territorial assertions extend beyond Vietnam, overlapping with the claims of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. Additionally, Indonesia has faced confrontations with Chinese forces around the Natuna Islands.
Rising Regional Tensions
Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated, with frequent confrontations. Last week, a Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol plane near the contested Scarborough Shoal.
Meanwhile, China’s live-fire exercises in the waters between Australia and New Zealand caused disruptions to air traffic. Leaders from both countries criticized the short notice provided—only a few hours instead of the standard 12 to 24 hours—though they acknowledged that China did not violate international law.
