(The content of this article is based on the collation of data, and there are cited sources at the end of the article.) ）
In 1993, the Yinhe cargo ship sailed from Tianjin Xingang to the Middle East, laden with hope and cargo.
The Galaxy was forced to halt sailing on the high seas for a month, engaged in a tug-of-war with an unauthorized inspection operation in the United States. This incident became a great shame in the diplomatic history of New China.
Accusations made out of nothing
In July 1993, the Yinhe container ship, which belongs to the Guangzhou Company of China Ocean Shipping Group, departed from China and prepared to sail to the Persian Gulf in the Middle East.
The ship was mainly carrying export goods such as stationery and hardware machinery parts, and the destination was Iran.
Since Iran's Port of Bandar Abbas does not have the facilities to handle containers, the Galaxy's routine operation is to first unload the cargo at the U.A.E. port of Dubai before transshipment to Iran by other means.
On July 23, United States Ambassador to China Rui Xiaojian made an urgent appointment with the Department of State of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and made important allegations.
The ambassador claimed that the United States had received "accurate information" that the Yinhe, which departed Dalian on July 15 for Bandar Abbas, Iran, was loaded with thiodiglycol and thionyl chloride.
Not only are these two chemicals poorly understood by the general population, they are also important raw materials for the manufacture of chemical weapons, in violation of the embargo and sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran.
For China, this is an unexpected diplomatic crisis, as it touches on sensitive issues of international law and global chemical weapons, not only in terms of trade relations between the two countries.
Thiolediglycol and thionyl chloride are substances that are strictly controlled under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Convention requires signatories not to use, produce, purchase, store or transfer listed chemicals with the aim of preventing the proliferation of chemical weapons.
As one of the original States parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, China has been actively fulfilling its treaty obligations and strictly controlling the management and transportation of sensitive chemical substances.
Therefore, the United States' accusations not only involve issues of international law, but also touch on China's credibility and responsibility in the international community.
After a thorough investigation, China found that the information provided by United States did not match the facts at all. The Yinhe did depart from Dalian for the Middle East, but the cargo was entirely conventional commercial and did not contain any raw materials for chemical weapons.
China's Foreign Ministry then issued a formal response to United States' allegations, clarifying the facts and asking United States to provide more accurate intelligence to support its allegations.
In 1979, the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shah's regime, which was closely dependent on United States support, and established a government with religious leaders at its core. Iran's transformation from a Western-friendly country to a radical force against United States influence has shocked the international community.
Since then, the United States has viewed Iran as the main enemy in the Middle East, calling it an "evil state."
The United States and its allies then imposed a series of economic sanctions and blockades against Iran in an attempt to isolate Iran and weaken its influence internationally.
Therefore, when United States accused China's Yinhe freighter of illegally transporting chemical substances to Iran that could be used in weapons production, it reflected United States' long-standing vigilance and suppression of Iran and its trading partners.
The United States claims to have "accurate intelligence" alleging that the Galaxy was involved in violations of international sanctions. In fact, there is only one correct accuracy of the intelligence - that is, the name of the freighter is "Galaxy". All other information about schedules, voyages and cargo does not correspond at all.
The United States government often interferes in the policies of other countries on the grounds of its national security interests, and this practice has aroused a lot of controversy and resentment in the international community.
Close surveillance and tracking
On August 1, 1993, a U.S. military plane was flying at a low altitude to photograph the Milky Way.
Captain Zhang Rude went to the deck and witnessed the scene. The appearance of this aircraft is not a simple flight passing, but a clear tracking and surveillance behavior. This military action without warning points directly to an unspoken threat.
Soon after, the United States warship sent a signal to the Galaxy via radio to inquire about the details of the ship and the cargo loaded. In compliance with international maritime rules, Zhang Rude provided the required information and reported it to the headquarters of China Ocean Shipping Corporation.
On August 2, the situation took a turn for the worse. Two U.S. warships, armed with heavy weapons, appeared within visual range of the Galaxy. The two warships not only tracked, but also gave orders to stop the Galaxy from time to time through the horn.
Zhang Rude resolutely rejected the unreasonable demands of the US military and commanded the Yinhe to continue to move forward according to the established route. For a merchant ship that is lawfully sailing on the international high seas, such a baseless order is a flagrant violation of international law.
Subsequently, the United States government issued a notice to the ports of the Middle East countries where the Galaxy was expected to call, claiming that the Galaxy was carrying dangerous chemical substances and asking the ports of these countries to prohibit the Galaxy from docking.
On August 3, the United States government offered three options for China and its shipping vessel, the Yinhe: either the Galaxy would return immediately, or the United States would be allowed to board the ship for inspection, or it would sail to the nearest port, where it would await further instructions from the United States.
China's Foreign Ministry protested United States' actions, saying that the Galaxy is a merchant ship that conducts normal navigation on the high seas and enjoys the right to freedom of navigation under international law.
Without China's permission, the US military plane took close photographs and interrogated the Yinhe. These acts not only infringe on the right of freedom of navigation granted to ships under the international law of the sea, but also significantly violate China's national sovereignty.
Due to United States political pressure, the Galaxy was forced to wait on the high seas not far away. Storage resources on board began to suffer, especially fresh water and food supplies.
Due to the extreme lack of fresh water and food, the crew began to experience symptoms of physical discomfort and skin ulcers. The heat and intense sunshine in the Gulf exacerbated the predicament, and the crew was forced to huddle in the hot and stuffy cabins all day in order to save energy.
In order to ensure the living needs of the crew, Zhang Rude constantly adjusted the ration of fresh water to ensure that he could maintain his basic life during the long-term stay.
When the U.S. military learned of the difficult situation on the Galaxy, they put forward a condition: as soon as the crew allowed them to board the ship for inspection, they could immediately provide the Galaxy with much-needed food and water. This proposal was partly an attempt to exploit the circumstances of the Galaxy's crew for their inspection purposes.
Although they were dying of hunger and were at the limit of their physical and mental strength, Zhang Rude still firmly rejected the "temptation" of the US military.
The plight of the Galaxy has attracted the attention of more countries and international organizations.
A number of countries and international organizations have expressed concern and dissatisfaction with United States' actions, believing that United States' actions are a clear violation of international law, especially the violation of freedom of navigation on the high seas.
As the incident continues to ferment, the Chinese government has continuously pressured the United States through diplomatic channels to stop its misconduct against the Galaxy, explain its position, and emphasize China's determination to safeguard national interests and citizens' rights.
Negotiation game
The actions of the US military have become more and more aggressive, and the diplomatic game between China and the United States over the "Yinhe" incident has become more and more acute. The U.S. side insisted on its request for an inspection of the Milky Way, while the Chinese side upheld the legitimate navigation rights and sovereignty of its vessels.
In mid-August, the U.S. side officially issued a formal notice to the Chinese side, requesting that the United States technical team be allowed to board the ship for inspection to verify whether it contained prohibited chemicals.
The Chinese side stresses that the Yinhe, as a civilian cargo ship sailing normally in international waters, fully enjoys the right to freedom of navigation as stipulated in international law. China firmly opposes the unwarranted inspection and believes that this act is an undue violation of China's sovereignty and has no legitimate basis.
In the face of the U.S. side's hardline attitude, China has adopted a dual-track strategy of diplomacy and law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Communications jointly organized several rounds of diplomatic negotiations with the United States aimed at resolving the dispute peacefully through diplomatic means.
In the 18-day stalemate, the crew of the Galaxy has reached its limit.
On August 20, in an effort to de-escalate the situation and seek a solution, China put forward a proposal to allow international third-party oversight to ensure the impartiality and transparency of the inspections.
At the same time, the Chinese side also put forward clear conditions: the US military can only inspect the 24 containers belonging to Iran on board, which is based on United States' accusations that directly involve these Iran-related cargoes.
At the insistence of the Chinese side, the United States finally agreed to accept Saudi Arabia's participation as a neutral third party in the investigation of the "Galaxy" freighter. The decision was reached after complex diplomatic consultations aimed at ensuring transparency and impartiality in the investigation.
The two sides agreed that the Galaxy would sail to the port of Oman in Yemen. After the Galaxy arrived at Oman Port, representatives of China and Saudi Arabia were scheduled to board the ship for inspection.
On August 28, under the supervision of Chinese representatives, Saudi Arabia's inspection team began a comprehensive inspection of the cargo on the Galaxy.
On September 4, the inspection team completed the inspection of all 782 containers on board the Galaxy one by one.
It is noteworthy that the inspection did not reveal any prohibited items, in particular thionyl chloride and thiodiethylene glycol, two sensitive chemicals that could be used in the manufacture of chemical weapons. The inspection team found only a few harmless items, such as gouache paint and hardware.
The results of the inspection showed that no prohibited chemicals were found on the Galaxy. All test results show that the goods meet international transport standards and do not contain any illegal items. This result effectively refutes the previous accusations of the US side and confirms the innocence of the Galaxy.
Proven innocence
Representatives of United States, China and Saudi Arabia signed the "Yinhe Investigation Report". The report, which details the process and results of the inspection, officially confirmed that the Galaxy did not carry the alleged chemical weapons raw materials United States.
Although the U.S. inspection team was unable to find any prohibited items, the U.S. side tried to expand the scope of the inspection for various reasons, including other goods and equipment that had not been agreed upon in advance.
In response, the Chinese side rejected any inspection requests that went beyond the original agreement and insisted on handling the incident in accordance with international law and previous bilateral agreements.
On September 5, the representatives of the three countries held a press conference to announce the results to the world. China has succeeded in clearing the stain of wrongful accusations, while also demonstrating the important role of international cooperation in resolving complex international disputes. The incident ended with the restoration of China's reputation and the emphasis on respect for international law.
However, the US side has not issued a formal apology for the violation of China's merchant sovereignty, nor has it offered any form of compensation for the economic losses caused to the Yinhe.
After receiving instructions from the Chinese government, the Yinhe resumed sailing and finally arrived at its destination in mid-September.
After docking, the ship underwent the necessary overhauls and replenishments in preparation for the subsequent voyage. The crew also had to disembark to rest, relieving the accumulated fatigue of being trapped on the high seas.
The Yinhe incident is not just an ordinary international shipping dispute, it is also seen as one of the major humiliations in China's diplomatic history, reserving China and its citizens of the consequences that power inequality in international politics can cause.
The incident became one of many similar humiliating events in China's modern history, including unequal treaties and foreign interference, which profoundly affected China's national pride and international standing.
Although the Galaxy incident ended in an incompletely satisfactory manner on the surface, it strengthened the Chinese government's resolve and strategy in dealing with similar international disputes in the future.
Only by growing stronger can we truly protect ourselves from external aggression and injustice. The Galaxy incident was thus not only a legal and diplomatic battle, but also a trigger for the country's development and self-reinforcing determination.
Resources:
1. This incident 27 years ago was listed as one of the "three humiliating incidents" by netizens Central Committee of the Communist Youth League 2020-09-04
2. The 20th Anniversary of the Yinhe Incident: The Crew Cried Bitterly After Being Humiliated by the U.S. Army's Boarding Nanfang Daily, August 26, 2013