Vietnam said it resolutely opposes a temporary Chinese ban on fishing in a some parts of the Gulf of Tonkin, a maritime area shared by the two countries, in the latest of a series of disputes in and around the South China Sea.

China's move came as the two neighbours seek to patch up ties since a bilateral row erupted in May last year when China deployed a $1-billion oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam. That lead to confrontation at sea between rival vessels and violent anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam.

The ban on all fishing activities between May 16 and August 1 violates international law and Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdictional rights, the foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website late on Saturday.