China’s fishing ban in East Sea null and void: agriculture ministry
VOV.VN - The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has voiced its strong objection to China’s unilateral fishing ban in the East Sea and said it has no legal force.
China recently imposed a fishing ban that covers 12 degrees north of the equator and includes parts of Vietnam's 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as well as the country’s Paracel archipelago. The ban is taking effect from May 1 to August 16, 2023.
In a recent dispatch, the MARD requested the administrations of coastal localities to immediately notify fishermen of China’s unilateral fishing ban, and at the same time affirmed that the decision has violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the East Sea and is invalid.
It suggested that localities continue to encourage fishermen to operate normally within Vietnamese waters and guide them to organize fishing groups and teams in order to provide timely support at sea.
Fishermen should promptly notify relevant authorities of violations committed by foreign fishing vessels in Vietnamese waters, the ministry said in its dispatch.
Earlier, Doan Khac Viet, deputy spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also opposed the Chinese ban and demanded that China respect Vietnam’s sea sovereignty and not further complicate the situation in the East Sea.
