The Battle of 88 refers to the armed conflict between the Chinese Navy and the Vietnamese Navy in the waters off Chigua Reef in China's Nansha Islands from March 13 to 25, 1988. The naval battle was the first large-scale confrontation between the two navies since the Sino-Vietnamese War, and one of the largest and most intense armed naval conflicts during the Cold War.
Since 1974, the Spratly Islands have been illegally occupied by Vietnam and have continued to provoke and threaten neighboring countries. In order to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Chinese Navy decided to take decisive measures and sent ships to the waters of Chigua Reef to carry out missions. On March 13, the Chinese Sea ** ship arrived in the waters of Chigua Reef and found that the Vietnamese Navy transport ship and the landing ship 505 were landing and unloading cargo. The Chinese Navy demanded that Vietnam** immediately stop violating China's territorial waters, but the other side ignored it. After repeated warnings to no avail, the Chinese Navy began to defend itself against the Vietnamese army at 17 o'clock on the same day.
After fierce fighting, the Chinese Navy achieved a major victory, sinking the Vietnamese Navy's transport ship No. 604 and severely damaging the No. 605 transport ship, as well as the Vietnamese Navy landing ship "Li Changjie" and the frigate "Tran Thanh U". Throughout the course of the battle, the officers and men of the Chinese Navy displayed a heroic and tenacious fighting spirit and tenacious combat effectiveness, and made important contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
After the battle, the Chinese Navy quickly took measures to ensure safety and stability at sea, including treating the wounded and cleaning up the battlefield. At the same time, China** has also maintained close contact and communication with the international community, and has reported the course and results of the incident in a timely manner.
In handling the incident, China adheres to the principles of peace, friendship and cooperation, and emphasizes the settlement of disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation. At the same time, it also emphasized the firm stand of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the international community, most countries also support the measures and positions taken by China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Battle of 88 was a major victory for the Chinese Navy since the Sino-Vietnamese War and an important milestone in the modernization of the Chinese Navy. Through this incident, the combat capability and level of the Chinese Navy have been significantly improved, and at the same time, it has also demonstrated to the international community China's firm determination and strength to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In short, the 88 naval battle was finally properly handled, and relations between China and Vietnam gradually moved towards normalization. However, the issue of the Nansha Islands remains an important disagreement and dispute between China and its neighboring countries, which needs to be resolved through dialogue and consultation. As a responsible major country, China will continue to uphold the principles of peace, friendship and cooperation, and actively participate in the cause of regional peace and development.