Vietnam Says It Repelled Chinese Attack, Inflicting 500 Casualties

Vietnam reported Tuesday that its troops repulsed a Chinese attack at the border and killed or wounded nearly 500 Chinese soldiers.

The official Vietnam News Agency, in a brief report monitored in Bangkok, said that Vietnamese troops foiled three thrusts by Chinese regiments at several hilltops in northern Ha Tuyen province early Monday, “putting out of action almost 500 land-grabbers.”

Vietnam often uses that phrase to describe enemy casualties. The news agency did not say whether there were Vietnamese casualties.

Chinese news media did not report the border clash, and the Vietnamese report could not be independently confirmed.

1979 Invasion

It was the largest number of Chinese casualties claimed by Vietnam in a single border skirmish since Chinese forces staged a brief but bloody invasion in 1979, which Peking said was intended to punish Hanoi for invading Cambodia.

China and Vietnam frequently trade charges of border aggression and at times exchange fire across the border.

The Vietnam News Agency said this week’s fighting began when Chinese troops, taking advantage of overcast skies, fired about 14,000 artillery and mortar rounds at hilltop positions inside Vietnam.

Under the support of the shelling, the Chinese troops stormed across the border to seize the Vietnamese positions, the report said.

Arms Reported Seized

“The local armed forces promptly intercepted the aggressors,” the news agency said, adding that the Vietnamese troops also seized “a considerable quantity of weapons and other war equipment.”

Radio Hanoi, in a broadcast monitored in Tokyo later Tuesday, said that one Chinese division was involved in the incident and that two Chinese regiments were crushed. It gave no further details.

The Vietnamese charge that most of China’s cross-border attacks have been directed against Ha Tuyen, one of Vietnam’s six northern border provinces.

China supports Cambodian resistance forces fighting the Vietnam-supported government in Cambodia and has called for withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from that country.