Naval battle in Spratly 1988

The naval battle in Spratly of 1988 ("Hải chiến Trường Sa 1988" in Vietnamese) was a brief clash at three reefs of the Spratly Islands (called "Trường Sa" in Vietnamese) that lie in the southern part of the South China Sea. It is a large disputed area of territory and numerous islands in the sea, such as the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands which are claimed by China and Vietnam. Both chains of islands had originally been under the control of China under the Ming Dynastany for several hundred years, but Vietnam also Claim with their evidence. For this reason, the whole area of this sea has been called the East Sea (Biển Đông) by the Vietnamese since winning their independence from China over 1000 years ago. but the islands are called the south China sea Internationally.

The clash broke out on March 14, 1988 between the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China and Vietnam People's Navy. They tried to occupy the reefs belongs to the Spratly Islands whose name is abbreviated to the Spratlys. Both sides' strength was very unequal. Two transport ships and a landing craft of Vietnam, which participated in the clash, defended against four Chinese frigates equipped with advanced 100mm guns, missiles and torpedoes. In addition, the Chinese used force of high numbers for this clash. The clash on March 14, 1988 led to the following casualties: six Chinese sailors lost their lives, 21 Chinese wounded while Vietnam had at least twelve killed, 11 wounded, and 61 missing. In documents of Vietnamese navy, the incident is known under the code name CQ-88 (Sovereignty-88).

Backgound

In the early months of 1988, the Chinese navy (The People's Liberation Army Navy, PLAN) had landed troops on a few reefs which belong to the area of the Spratly Islands. Five reefs were occupied by the Chinese. They are: Fiery Cross Reef (January 31), Cuarteron Reef (February 18), Gaven Reef (February 26), Hughes Reef (February 28), and Subi Reef (February 23).

The Vietnamese navy (Vietnam People's Navy) then ferried supplies and equipment to six reefs and successfully gained control of them. They were: Pigeon Reef (January 26), Ladd Reef (February 5), Great Discovery Reef (February 6), East London Reef (February 18), Alison Reef (February 27), Cornwallis South Reef (March 2), initially intercepted the Chinese navy from extending their occupied zone into the neighbouring islands. The Vietnamese command judged the Chinese might occupy some dry reefs around the chain of Sin Cowe Island, Namyit Island and Eastern meridian 115.

Basing itself on the situation around the area of the Spratly Islands, the Vietnamese navy accurately assessed the important position of Johnson South Reef. In case the Chinese occupy this reef, they would overpower Vietnamese lines of supply to the other bases of the Spratly Islands. For this reason, the Standing Committee of the Naval Arm's Party Committee (SCNAPC) came to a decision to take control over the following reefs: Johnson South Reef, Johnson North Reefs, and Landsdowne Reef. The SCNAPC ordered 125th transport brigade to appoint combat forces for carrying out this mission.

On March 11, in face of danger, the Vietnamese commander of naval units ordered the 4th naval region, 125th brigade, 146th brigade, 131st, 132nd and 134th fleets of the 172nd brigade to prompt all maritime forces to go on alert. In order from High Command of Vietnamese navy, 41 ships and float-boards of the 125th brigade, Economic Department, 1st, 3rd, 5th naval regions, Academy of Naval Officers (nowadays renamed the Academy of Vietnamese navy), Ba Son factory had taken their departure for cooperating operations in the necessary cases.

On March 11, at 19:00, the transport ship HQ-604 left the dock to South Johnson Reef in the carrying out its mission of operation named "CQ-88" (Sovereingty-88).

On March 12, the vessel HQ-605 of 125th brigade, under command of captain Le Lenh Son, obeyed order to leave East London Reef to Landsdowne Reef, as before 06:00 of March 14 as possible. Vietnamese force of that vessel must also had occupied the reef immediately on their arrival. After 29 hours of secret operations, on March 14 at 05:00, HQ-605 arrived in Landsdowne Reef and set up Vietnamese flag presenting Vietnamese sovereignty over the reef.

In participating in the mission to occupy Johnson South Reef and Johnson North Reef, on March 13 at 09:00, departure tasks were assigned to the vessel HQ-604 under the command of captain Vu Phi Tru and the vessel HQ-505 of captain Vu Huy Le to leave Great Discovery Reef in the setting out for the Johnson South Reef, Johnson North Reef. For coordinating with HQ-505 and HQ-604, there were two sections of engineers (70 men) belong to the 83rd regiment of engineers, four fighting groups (22 sailors) of the 146th brigade under command of deputy brigadier Tran Duc Thong and four surveying soldiers of Surveying and Making Maps Delegation (from the General Staff). After the two Vietnamese vessels had dropped anchors for 30 minutes, the escort frigates of Chinese navy sailed from Hughes Reef toward South Johnson Reef. For some moments, both sides stood only 500m apart.

On March 13 at 17:00, the Chinese frigates got close to the HQ-604 and switched on the warning loudspeaker. They called out the other side. Despite threat from Chinese warships, the two vessels HQ-505 and HQ-604 were still patiently berthing beside the reefs, even a Chinese escort warship and two Chinese transport ships took turns dynamically to somewhere about Johnson South Reef beside.

Confronted with strained pressure that Chinese navy committed, on March 13rd at 21:00, the Command of Vietnamese navy instructed comrades Tran Duc Thong, Vu Huy Le and Vu Phi Tru to order the sailors and engineers to be determined to protect Johnson South Reef and Johnson North Reef. Then the Command of Vietnamese navy ordered the engineers to quickly refloat motor-boats, aluminium boats to transfer supplies and building materials to the reefs as early as night of March 13. In carrying out the mission, the vessels HQ-604 with the engineers of the 83rd regiment had ferried supplies and equiments together to Johnson South Reef, then the combat forces of the 146th brigade landed secretly. They set up the Vietnamese flag and deployed four fighting groups to defend the reef.

At that moment, the Chinese force that had already arrived there was reinforced by two escort gunships equipped with 100mm gun. They demanded the Vietnamese sailors to withdraw troops from the Johnson South Reef. The command of HQ-604 considered that the Chinese navy could use force and decided to order their sailors to keep calm. They combined actions according to the combat plan in decision to defend Johnson South Reef.

On March 14, the brief skirmish took place in the zone of Johnson South Reef, Johnson North Reef, and Landsdowne Reef.

Johnson South Reef

On the morning of March 14, Vietnamese forces landed on the johnson south reef and planted the Vietnamese flag, dispite Chinese warnings, seeing this as a challange to national territorial soverginity, "Nanchang" sent two landing crafts to investigate.

By 06:00, the Chinese refloated 3 aluminium boats that carried about 40 marines, landed them into the reef. They approached the Vietnamese flagpole and tried to lower the Vietnamese flag. This immediately caused strong reaction from the Vietnamese units to hold their flag, although they were outnumbered by Chinese troops.

Just because Vietnamese navy had refused to withdraw troops from the reef, by 07:30 the Vietnamese, using former south vietnamese warship's advanced weapons systems, opened fire on the Chinese ships. this nsoon gave the Chinese warship an excuse to retaliate legally, and the order was given to retaliate.

HQ-604, after combatting the "Nanchang" for several minutes, was sunk by Grenades and Shelling from the Chinese ship

Johnson North Reef

By 06:00, the battle was continuing at the north reef, the Chinese used grenades to severely damage the Vietnamese ship, and succeeded in sinking it.

Landsdowne Reef

At Landsdowne Reef, at approximately 08:20 on March 14, the Chinese navy fired fiercely on the vessel HQ-605 of Vietnamese navy. It burned up and sank at 06:00.

Results

Due to clash on 14 March 1988 , Vietnam lost 3 vessels that were set on fire and sank; 30 men died , 11 wounded, 70 missed. The Chinese released 9 prisoners afterwards, 61 other persons still missing and reputedly dead. The Chinese claim of her own casualties: 6 killed and 21 injured in combat.

Causes

According to Chinese state media, the Vietnamese navy had fired while their ships were dropping anchors there to support a delegation of researching and oil exploration. Hence, they were compelled to take up arms in self-defence. As Chinese naval squadron was on the way to the Spratly Islands, China acted for the name of leading science delegation of UN in carrying out a survey. Finally, the Chinese government expressed regret at that happened incident.

In April 1988, China ratified a resolution to establish the Hai Nan province including both Paracels and the Spratlys.

References

* [http://community.middlebury.edu/~scs/terms.html The East Vietnam Sea Online Resource]
* [http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/explore/todd.html Kelly, Todd C. (1999). "Vietnamese Claims to the Truong Sa Archipelago". Explorations in Southeast Asian Studies Vol 3]
* [http://www.nansha.org.cn Nansha Island Information Network]