(Reuters) — A Vietnamese patrol vessel on Monday (May 12) hit back at Chinese ships after being attacked with water cannons and blocked from approaching an oil rig recently stationed by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea, state media reported.
Tensions rose in the resource-rich South China Sea last week after China positioned a giant oil rig in an area also claimed by Vietnam. Each country accused the other of ramming its ships near the disputed Paracel Islands.
Two journalists from the Tuoi Tre Newspaper reported they witnessed the exchange of water-cannon fire from on board the Vietnamese vessel on Monday.
The newspaper said the Vietnamese vessel displayed a banner in Chinese urging Beijing to withdraw the rig before being attacked by 15 Chinese ships with water cannons to block it from approaching the platform.
The vessel responded by firing its own water cannons to keep away the Chinese ships, it added.
The report said the drilling rig has been protected by as many as 80 Chinese escort vessels, including warships, and military planes since it was deployed on May 1.
China has accused Vietnam of intentionally colliding with its ships in the South China Sea, afterVietnam asserted that Chinese vessels used water cannon and rammed eight of its vessels at the weekend near the oil rig.
China claims the entire South China Sea, putting it in conflict with Taiwan, Vietnam, thePhilippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.