VietNamNet Bridge - As of Tuesday, China is using up to 86 vessels to protect the oil rig it has illegally deployed in Vietnamese waters.

A Chinese attacks a Vietnamese vessels by water cannons.

Her fleet includes one missile ship  and a patrol submarine. Vietnamese vessels are continuing to approach the area of the rig, according to the Vietnam Marine Police Agency.

In total, China is using nine types of ships to protect its HD-981 rig. They include military vessels, marine police vessels, marine surveillance ships, naval ships, fishery administrative boats, salvage tugs, cargo ships, tankers and fishing vessels with iron hulls, the agency said.

Talking to the press on Tuesday, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Oai, Head of the Fisheries Control Department, said 30 vessels of the fishery control and marine police forces of Vietnam were operating in the area. About 20 fishing vessels from Vietnam were about 20 km from the rig. Boats of fishermen from the central provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Da Nang formed a line to prevent Chinese fishing vessels from encroaching on the waters of Vietnam.

"This is the major fishing ground of Vietnam," Oai stressed. He also said that the law enforcement forces of Vietnam were not surprised when Chinese ships continued to plow deeper into Vietnam’s waters. "This is China's oil-slick strategy. From a restricted area of around 5-7 nautical miles from the oil rig to over 10 nautical miles and more," he said.

The official said that the fishery control forces used loudspeakers to relay warnings to the Chinese ships. "If the ships do not comply, we will use stronger measures."

PV