Two coast guard ships from Region 1 High Command left the northern port city of Hải Phòng on Sunday, beginning a patrol to examine the enforcement of the Việt Nam-China agreement on fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin.— VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG — Two coast guard ships from Region 1 High Command left the northern port city of Hải Phòng on Sunday, beginning a patrol to examine the enforcement of the Việt Nam-China agreement on fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin.
The trip will cover a visit to and an exchange programme on Việt Nam’s Cồn Cỏ Island, and communications activities to increase awareness on the agreement for fishermen at sea.
Senior Lieutenant Colonel Lê Huy, deputy political commissar of the Coast Guard Region 1, said over the past 15 years since the agreement took effect, Việt Nam’s competent agencies and fishermen have coordinated together to maintain production and ensure marine security on the shared fishing waters between the two nations.
He noted the activity reflects Việt Nam’s goodwill in enforcing and monitoring the implementation of the agreement, thus helping to make the Gulf of Tonkin an area of peace, cooperation and friendship and to create a favourable environment for both countries to boost economic development, particularly sea-based economy.
Since 2006, Việt Nam and China have conducted 16 joint fishery patrols in the gulf, released young fish into the gulf to protect aquatic resources, held three search and rescue drills, exchanged professional skills in maritime law enforcement, and run exchange programmes for young officers, Huy said.
The Việt Nam Coast Guard mobilised ships to conduct 237 trips to supervise the enforcement of the pact, detecting nearly 13,400 violations by Chinese fishing ships. — VNS