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Sino-Vietnamese conflicts 1979-1990
Date March 14, 1988 Location Johnson South Reef Result Chinese victory, 6 islands captured by the PLAN Continued dispute between China and Vietnam.
Belligerents
People's Republic of China	Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Chen Weiwen/陈伟文, CO 502 Nanchong	Deputy Brigadier Tran Duc Thong Le Lenh Son, CO HQ-605 Vu Phi Tru, CO HQ-604 Vu Huy Le CO HQ-505
Strength
502 Nanchong / 南充 (Jiangnan Class/065) frigate 556 Xiangtan / 湘潭 (Jianghu II Class/053H1) frigate 531 Yingtan / 鹰潭 (Jiangdong Class/053K) frigate	HQ-505 (ex Quy Nhon HQ-504)landing ship HQ-604 armed transport HQ-605 armed transport
Casualties and losses
Chinese claim: 1 wounded.	Chinese claim: more than 70 killed HQ-604 and HQ-605 sunk, HQ-505 heavily damaged

The Johnson South Reef Skirmish of 1988 (Chinese: 赤瓜礁海战; pinyin: Chìguā jiāo hǎizhàn; Vietnamese: Hải chiến Trường Sa) was a naval battle that took place between Chinese and Vietnamese forces over Johnson South Reef in the Spratly Islands on March 14, 1988. It has also been mistakenly referred to as the Battle of Fiery Cross Reef.

Background

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In the 1980s, after the relations between China and the US-led international community improved, its international status significantly improved. A global sea-level joint observation plan was adopted by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in February 1987, commissioned by the Chinese government, establishing five marine observation stations. China Nansha station is located in the Yongshu Reef.

In early February 1988, the China Construction forces launched the construction of NO.74 ocean observatory on Yongshu Reef. To guarantee the security of the establishment of the station site from 18 January to 14 March 1988, the South China Sea Fleet entered the Spratly Islands.

Upon learning that China intended to build a marine observation station, the Vietnamese Navy began to intensify its occupation of the islands and reefs of Spratly Islands.

In the afternoon of February 18, 1988, the Chinese Navy and Vietnamese Navy rushed to land on Huayang reef at the same time, each planting a flag. Confrontation between the two sides ensued for 3 hours as a result, eventually with the Vietnamese Navy retreating due to inclement weather. However from January 15 to February 19, the 171 Fleet in Vietnam and 125 transport brigade sent armed men to occupy 5 reefs around the Yongshu reef, and surrounded the waters around the reef.

At 6:00 on March 14, NO.604 carriers of the Vietnamese Navy laid down a wooden boat loaded with heavily armed Vietnamese soldiers and the materials used to build fortifications on the Johnson South Reef and planted two Vietnam flags on it.

At 7:50 Lee Chu, political commissar of China's NO.502-ship, sailed boats to bypass the Vietnamese boat heading for the reefs along with seven soldiers. They removed the Vietnamese flag, and one hour later confrontation with the Vietnamese began, leading to a scuffle by Chinese and Vietnamese soldiers, with shots exchanged.

Locations

Battle

Part of a series on the
Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands military occupations map
Related articles
Spratly Islands dispute Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Philippines and the Spratly Islands Dangerous Ground (South China Sea) Great Wall of Sand History of the Spratly Islands List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands List of airports in the Spratly Islands Vietnamese DK1 rigs Royal Malaysian Navy Offshore Bases Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads Free Territory of Freedomland
Confrontations
Southwest Cay incident (1975) East Sea Campaign (1975) Johnson South Reef skirmish (1988)
Military occupations
Occupied by Brunei Louisa Reef-Semarang Barat Kecil Reef Occupied by China (PRC) Cuarteron Reef, Huayang Reef Fiery Cross Reef, Yongshu Reef Gaven Reefs, Nanxun Reef and Xinan Reef Hughes Reef, Dongmen Reef Johnson South Reef, Chigua Reef Mischief Reef, Meiji Reef Subi Reef, Zhubi Reef Occupied by Malaysia Ardasier Reef, Ubi Reef Dallas Reef, Laya Reef Erica Reef, Siput Reef Investigator Shoal, Peninjau Shoal Mariveles Reef, Mantanani Reef Swallow Reef, Layang-Layang Island Occupied by the Philippines Commodore Reef, Rizal Reef Flat Island, Patag Island Irving Reef, Balagtas Reef Lankiam Cay, Panata Island Loaita Cay, Melchora Aquino Island Loaita Island, Kota Island Nanshan Island, Lawak Island Northeast Cay, Parola Island Second Thomas Shoal, Ayungin Shoal Thitu Island, Pagasa Island West York Island, Likas Island Occupied by Taiwan (ROC) Centre Cay, Zhongzhou Reef Itu Aba Island, Taiping Island Occupied by Vietnam Amboyna Cay, An Bang Island Bombay Castle, Ba Ke Collins Reef, Co Lin Reef Cornwallis South Reef, Nui Le Reef Ladd Reef, Lat Reef Namyit Island, Nam Yet Island Sand Cay, Son Ca Island Sin Cowe Island, Sinh Ton Island Southwest Cay, Song Tu Tay Island Spratly Island, Truong Sa Island Unoccupied Half Moon Shoal Luconia Shoals Northeast Investigator Shoal Royal Captain Shoal Sabina Shoal Western Reef Whitsun Reef
v t e

The People's Republic of China's Account

The PRC's accounts reported the skirmish as follows:

On March 13, the Nanchong detected PAVN vessels HQ-604 heading toward Johnson South Reef, HQ-605 heading toward Lansdowne Reef, and HQ-505 heading toward Collins Reef in a simultaneous three-pronged intrusion upon the disputed reefs.

On March 14, PLA-N forces led by Yingtan arrived at Johnson South Reef and disembarked 25 naval infantrymen: the Nanchong already onsite disembarked a further 33 naval infantrymen in support. The Xiangtan was dispatched to Lansdowne Reef to counter the intrusion there.

At approximately 07:30 hours on Johnson South Reef, Vietnamese troops attempted to erect the Vietnam flag on the reef. It was reported that PAVN Corporal Nguyen Van Lanh and PAVN Sublieutenant Tran Van Phuong disputed the flag against PLA-N sailor Du Xianghou resulting in pitched battle between the two opposing forces. Vietnamese forces, with HQ-604 in support, opened fire in response. PLA-N forces and the Nanchong counter-attacked at 08:47 hours: HQ-604 was set ablaze in the firefight and sunk. in the same morning was fought between the Yingtan and HQ-505 which was beached at Collins Reef. The subsequent firefight resulted in the loss of the PAVN vessel, HQ-505.

At 09:15 hours, the Xiangtan arrived at the Lansdowne reef and discovered 9 Vietnamese troops from HQ-605 had already landed. The Xiangtan immediately hailed the Vietnamese forces demanding their withdrawal from the reef and was met with Vietnamese fire in reply. In the ensuing firefight, the HQ-605 was damaged heavily and sunk by the Chinese.

Other account

In vol. 1 of the book The security environment in the Asia-Pacific, written by Hung-mao Tien, a Taiwanese scholar, and Tun-jen Cheng, an American Professor reported the skirmish as follows: In late 1987, PRC started to deploy troops to some unoccupied reefs of the Spratly Islands. Soon after the PLA stormed the Johnson South Reef, a skirmish began between the Vietnamese troops and PRC landing parties on March 14, 1988. Within a year, the PLA took over seven reefs and rocks of the Spratly Islands.

Aftermath

After the war, the observation station construction projects completed successfully, and the Vietnamese Navy was unable to prevent the Chinese construction. The same time, Vietnam continued the occupation of other islands and reefs, China did not do anything to intervene. Afterwards, other reefs around the Yongshu reefs became occupied by Vietnam.

Both China and Vietnam had serious command problems. At 8:47 the battle began. About 28 minutes later, the Chinese 556-ship received the order to fire, at the same time the Vietnamese 605-ship is still in engagement. The firefight lasted for almost 12 minutes, and the 556-ship was yet to sink the Vietnamese 605-ship which just 820 tons, and allowed it to struggle to escape.

Before the war China was determined to only seize the unoccupied islands and reefs as opposed to the recovery of other reefs which were occupied by Vietnam. They were worried about Vietnam's air strikes and the Soviet Union Fleet in Cam Ranh Bay, and after the landslide victory, they quickly withdrew. The other reefs of the Johnson South Reef were occupied by Vietnam.

In 1994 China had a similar asserting of its territory at the Mischief Reef which was at that time inside the claimed EEZ of the Philippines. However, there was only political protest from the Philippines since, according the Henry L. Stimson Center, the Philippine Navy decided to avoid confrontation, a decision that was partly based on the Johnson South Reef Skirmish where Vietnamese troops were killed despite the conflict taking place near the Vietnamese-controlled area.

References

1. FACTBOX-The South China Sea's disputed maritime borders
2. ^ "Secrets of the Sino-Vietnamese skirmish in the South China Sea", WENWEIPO.COM LIMITED., March 14, 1988
3. Cheng, Tun-jen; Tien, Hung-mao (2000). The Security environment in the Asia-Pacific. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe. p. 264. ISBN 0-7656-0539-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
4. Cronin, Richard P. (2010-02-04). "China's Activities in Southeast Asia and the Implications for U.S. Interests" (PDF). www.uscc.gov.

Bibliography

• The South China Sea Online Resource
• Kelly, Todd C. (1999). "Vietnamese Claims to the Truong Sa Archipelago". Explorations in Southeast Asian Studies Vol 3

Template:Sansha

• Conflicts in 1988
• 1988 in China
• 1988 in Vietnam
• Military history of Vietnam
• Military history of the People's Republic of China
• Naval battles involving Vietnam
• Naval battles involving China
• Spratly Islands