China kills 9 Vietnamese fishermen in disputed zone

China claims the nine Vietnamese fishermen border guards killed recently actually had fired on Chinese fishing boats first. The incident took place Jan. 8 in a disputed zone of the Gulf of Tonkin, about 125 miles south of Hanoi. China claims the three Vietnamese fishing boats had opened fire on Chinese fishing boats seeking to rob them. Vietnam has called on China to strictly punish the border guards. Both sides have pledged "not to take extreme action or make use of force" on fisheries-related issues. (Agence France Presse, Jan. 15).