A Chinese vessel has sunk a fishing boat near the contested Paracel Islands. Some crew members of the vessel also attacked Vietnamese fishermen aboard the boat, a Vietnamese official revealed on Thursday.

Phan Huy Hoang, the deputy chief of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Quang Ngai province, said Chinese vessels have attacked more than 20 Vietnamese fishing boats near the Paracel Islands in the past five months.

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During the latest incident on Sept. 29, a Chinese vessel allegedly rammed a boat containing 10 Vietnamese fishermen. The captain of the fishing boat told New York Times that his men were fast asleep when the incident happened. He claims about five Chinese men got on board the boat after crashing into it and attacked him and his men, before interrogating them. The Chinese assailants reportedly seized several items from the boat - including tons of fishes and navigational tools. They later left the fishermen stranded on the sinking vessel.

The fishermen, who watched their boat sink, were rescued by another Vietnamese fishing crew after struggling for hours on the open sea while they floated in their life jackets.  

It is unclear if the Chinese vessel belongs to the government. Some local reports have described the Chinese ship as a "surveillance vessel."

Next to the Philippines, Vietnam has been one of the most vocal critics of China's activities in disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Last month, Pham Thu Hang, the deputy spokesperson for Vietnam's foreign ministry, condemned China's land reclamation and construction project in the Paracel and Spatly Islands. She said Vietnam has "sufficient legal and historical evidence" to prove its sovereignty over the islands.

Last week, Le Hai Binh, the spokesman for Vietnam's foreign ministry, also criticized China's expansion in the disputed territory. He explained that China's construction of lighthouses on some new islets in the contested area is a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty and it "escalates tensions."

Despite the growing hostility, some experts say it is unlikely that China and Vietnam will face off against each other over the issue. The two socialist countries, who shares deep historical and economic ties, agreed to resolve their disputes through dialogue earlier in September.

While Vietnam may be unlikely to use aggressive measures to stake its claims in the South China Sea, the same cannot be said for other countries.

On Wednesday, Hua Chunying, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, condemned other countries for "flexing military muscles" in the South China Sea. According to Hua, this has been the main cause of "militarization" in the disputed territory.

The statement by Hua was made in response to a comment by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter that the U.S. will "fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows." The U.S. is allegedly planning to send a warship to sail within 12 nautical miles of the disputed Spratly Islands. Many experts have noted that the move, which is meant to show defiance to China, could cause sharp tension in the region.

"We hope that relevant countries could stop playing up the issue of South China Sea, make good on their commitment of not taking sides on issues concerning territorial sovereignty, be discreet with words and deed, respect efforts by China and relevant regional countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, and play a constructive role to that end," Hua said.

TagsChina-Vietnam relations, China Vietnam South China Sea, Vietnam Fishing Vessels South China Sea, Paracel Islands, Phan Huy Hoang