In what is being seen as the latest in a long line of examples of Chinese intimidation tactics against non-Chinese fishermen in and round the South China Sea, reports are emerging of a vicious, organised attack by Chinese paramilitary forces against a Vietnamese fisherman and his crew.

"I’ve been a captain for over 10 years and have faced Chinese vessels several times, but this time they were very violent, using metal sticks to beat us brutally," said 40-year-old Vietnamese fisherman Bien in a report carried by VNExpress International.

Bien and his crew are still recovering from injuries sustained in the attack, which lasted four hours and involved repeated blows with metal rods. The crew, consisting of 10 members, had set out from Sa Ky Port in central Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam on 13 September. They were heading towards the Paracel Islands (known as Hoang Sa in Vietnam) to fish. After two weeks at sea, they had amassed four tonnes of fish, the report says.

Then, on 29 September, when located 28 km from Chim Yen Island, a Chinese vessel approached at speed. Following a pursuit, Bien identified the vessel, marked with the number 301. The Chinese mother ship then dispatched two smaller boats to flank the Vietnamese vessel while it blocked their path from the front. Despite Bien’s attempts to manoeuvre around and away, a second Chinese vessel, marked with the number 101, soon joined the effort, encircling the fishing boat.

Subsequently around 40 individuals from the Chinese ships boarded Bien’s vessel. Unarmed, the fishermen were overpowered and attacked.

The attack and prolonged efforts at Chinese intimidation of fishermen from other nations is not an isolated incident and was covered in detail by ChannelNewsAsia in a daily news report – link above. In the last few months, there have been multiple other reports of intimidation tactics and threats against vessels from the Philippines.

International military exercises have also come under the watchful eye of Chinese ships. Earlier in the year, and during one such exercise, a Chinese surveillance ship sailed within two nautical miles of a US vessel, reportedly causing disruptions during live-fire drills. Additionally, the presence of over 100 Chinese maritime militia vessels was noted within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the same time.

In the latest attack on foreign vessels, 47-year-old crew member Huynh Tien Cong suffered broken bones in both his arm and leg. "They rushed in and brutally beat me on my arms and legs with metal sticks about a metre long. I could do nothing" Cong was quoted as saying.

Other crew members were similarly beaten.

Captain Bien himself was knocked unconscious in the ship’s cabin according to Vietnamese authorities and was initially refused CPR. His attackers eventually relented, allowing medical workers to check on Bien's condition.

Throughout much of the ordeal the Vietnamese fishermen had their heads covered as Chinese looted the vessel. Four tonnes of fish, and fishing equipment valued at around $12,500 was taken.

Vietnamese Coast Guard ships met the vessel 50 nautical miles (93 km) from land, providing medical assistance. Crew members were later sent to hospitals once on land.

It is the second such incident with Chinese boats for the fishermen from Ganh Ca Village, who regularly fish near the Paracel Islands, after a 2009 fracas when their ship was seized, and they were held on China's Hainan Island for 12 days, only being released after paying a ransom of VND140mn.

According to the fishermen, the aggression from Chinese vessels has become increasingly violent.