Vietnam is building up its maritime militia in the South China Sea in an apparent challenge to Chinese efforts to dominate the disputed waterway, according to a Chinese military magazine.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, but Hanoi is one of several rival claimants. Like China, the Southeast Asian country has a long tradition of using its maritime militia to defend its claims.
“Vietnam’s maritime militia force and their activities in waters near Hainan, the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands have threatened China’s maritime law enforcement and national defence security,” Naval and Merchant Ships magazine said in an article published last week.
The matter must be “taken seriously and dealt with in a timely manner”, it said.