China wants Spratly, says Hanoi
NZPA-Reuter Bangkok Vietnam has said that China is moving to occupy the Spratly Islands and Western diplomats said any Chinese thrust, into that area of the South China Sea would put Moscow in a tough spot. A Hanoi radio report said Peking provoked a Chinese-Vietnamese naval clash over the disputed islands on Monday as a prelude to seizing them. China “intends to pave the way for its use of
force on the seas in thej days ahead in order jo occupv Vietnam's] Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago." . the State radio said. “The Chinese side must) be held totally responsible I for all consequences aris-: ing from its military pro-] vocations of Vietnam.” I it i said. : Diplomats and [strategic analysts said they would be surprised if the dispute, escalated along the lines] predicted by Hanoi. "I can’t imagine Peking)
invading the Spratlys now. That would have to scare the Soviets and cause an international furor," said one diplomat. The • scattered islands are potentially rich in oil and strategically important for control of sea lanes. China and Vietnam fought a fierce battle over the islands in 1974. They are about 370 km from the Indo-Chinese mainland.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19880318.2.77.14
Bibliographic details
Press, 18 March 1988, Page 9
Word Count
199China wants Spratly, says Hanoi Press, 18 March 1988, Page 9
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.