A diplomatic dispute between China and Vietnam over the sovereignty and names of a group of islands in the South China Sea is preventing the return to Hong Kong of three fishermen rescued after their vessel sank last month, official sources said yesterday.
The SAR fishermen and eight mainlanders have been kept in the Vietnamese coastal town of Nha Trang for at least 10 days after reportedly being rescued by the Vietnamese navy from among the contested Spratly islands, over which the neighbours fought a brief bloody battle in 1988.
The island chain, which has rich fishing grounds and also is thought to have abundant oil and gas reserves, is claimed in whole or part by five nations including China and Vietnam.
At the centre of the dispute over the fishermen is the identity of the island near where they were found, according to sources. 'They are still negotiating on the exact name of that island,' an official said. 'To put a name on it would imply sovereignty.'
Even the name of the group of about 100 islands, islets and reefs is disputed by China and Vietnam. In Chinese, it is known as Nansha, while the Vietnamese consulate-general in Hong Kong said yesterday it was called Troung Sa.
Part of the problem in securing the fishermen's release stems from the fact they were in a particularly sensitive zone in the western part of the Spratlys. They were from the SAR-based vessel Fung Ching Fuk along with 25 others, including two Hong Kong men who are missing.
Another source said the fishermen, who were in one of three unpowered sampans, had landed on reefs known in Chinese as Yungshu, which are also claimed by Vietnam and called Da Chu Thap.
