China Conducts Live-Fire Drills at the Gulf of Tonkin After Vietnam Declares New Maritime Baseline

Vietnam has formally protested recent actions by China and the Philippines at Sandy Cay, a feature it claims as part of its sovereignty over the Spratly Islands. It warns that such moves threaten regional peace and international maritime law.
Vietnam Coast Guard on August 9, 2024. Ted ALJIBE / AFP

China’s live-fire exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin come just days after Vietnam reinforced its territorial claims with a new baseline declaration, adding fresh friction to an already tense regional maritime landscape.

The drills, which Beijing says will run through Thursday, highlight how legal maneuvers in Southeast Asia’s contested waters are increasingly met with military signaling.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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