Vietnam protests China's fishing ban in the East Sea

China's announcement regulating the scope and duration of a fishing holiday in the East Sea is a worthless act and Vietnam resolutely opposes this decision.

Mr. Le Hai Binh, spokesman for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Quy Doan

"We resolutely oppose this worthless decision. Vietnam has full legal and historical grounds to affirm its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, its sovereign rights and national jurisdiction over its maritime zones, exclusive economic zones and continental shelf, in accordance with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," said Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh.

"China's announcement of the scope and duration of a fishing holiday in the East Sea violates Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, and violates Vietnam's sovereignty and national jurisdiction over its sea areas in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Mr. Binh added.

The People's Government of Haikou City, Hainan Province, China, today announced the "Implementation Plan for the Management of the 2015 Haikou Sea Fishing Holiday". Accordingly, China prohibits all fishing activities at sea from 12:00 on May 16, 2015 to 12:00 on August 1, 2015 in the sea area from 12 degrees North latitude to the border line between Guangdong Province and Fujian Province (including the Gulf of Tonkin).

During the fishing ban, China announced that it would increase the use of law enforcement vessels to monitor, patrol, arrest and punish violators.

Since 1999, China has annually imposed a fishing ban in the East Sea, which it claims almost entirely, despite protests from Vietnam and other countries in the region.

China's fishing ban area. Graphics: Sina

According to VNE