Chinese fishing vessels confront US ship

Source: China Daily | 05-07-2009 10:11

The US surveillance ship that got into a confrontation with Chinese fishing vessels on Friday in the Yellow Sea violated international and Chinese laws, the Foreign Ministry said.

US surveillance ship USNS Victorious was involved  in a confrontation with Chinese fishing boats in  the Yellow Sea, May 1, 2009. [File photo]

The USNS Victorious, designed for anti-submarine warfare and underwater mapping, was engaged in routine operations in international waters, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.

But Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu disagreed.

"The fact is that the USNS Victorious conducted activities in China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Yellow Sea without China's permission. China has expressed concern over this issue," he said.

Whitman said Wednesday that two Chinese vessels came within 27 m of the USNS Victorious on Friday about 110 km off the Chinese coast, forcing it to sound an alarm and turn on its fire hoses to deter the vessels.