Friday, May 17, 2013

Vietnamese fishermen to ignore China’s illegal fishing ban

 
Vietnamese fishermen will continue operating in Vietnam’s territorial waters despite China’s illegal ban on fishing in the East Sea, a Vietnam Fisheries Association official says.
 
The Chief Secretariat of the Association, Nguyen Ngoc Duc, made the statement yesterday while answering Tuoi Tre’s queries on the Association’s response to China’s promulgation of the ban on fishing from 12:00 am, May 16 till 12:00 am, August 1 in the East Sea, which encompasses portions of Vietnam’s waters.
Tuoitre News Vietnam
.
Today the association will send official letters to concerned agencies asking for assistance for fishermen in their normal fishing activities in Vietnam’s territorial waters in the East Sea, Duc said.
Photo: Vietnamese fishing boats return to central Quang Ngai Province from the Hoang Sa (Paracels) archipelago on May 15, 2013
.
The association will also ask authorities of coastal localities to give necessary support and instructions to fishermen operating at sea, the official said.
.
“There will be no problem if the ban is applied to China’s sea areas only, but in fact, China has illegally imposed the ban on Vietnam’s territorial waters, so there is no reason for Vietnamese fishermen to comply with such an illegitimate regulation,” Duc said.
.
The same day, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against China’s implementation of a ban on fishing in the East Sea.
.
“China’s unilateral implementation of the ban on fishing in the East Sea in 2013, which encompasses some portions of Vietnam’s waters, violates Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, and its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi told reporters.
.
The ban goes against the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and “Vietnam opposes and declares China’s aforementioned unilateral decision null and void,” the spokesperson stressed.
.
On May 9, Nghi said at the ministry’s regular press conference that Vietnam has indisputable sovereignty over Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the East Sea, and all activities of parties in this area without Vietnam’s approval violate the country’s sovereignty.
.
He made the statement in response to reporters’ questions on Vietnam’s reaction to China’s deployment of 32 fishing boats to the archipelago’s area on May 6.
Nghi emphasized that, “all activities in the East Sea must comply with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with respect to the sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction right of concerned countries.”
.
The chart above shows China’s view of the South China Sea. China says it “owns” everything inside the red dashed line. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and others are not too happy with this assertion: especially since China is a growing naval power.
China’s neighbors have rejected its map of the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest sea corridors. Pictured: China’s Maritime Surveillance Force on patrol
Chinese officers stop and question fishermen in the South China Sea
CHINA-BEIJING-CHINA-VIETNAM STEERING COMMITTEE-6TH MEETING (CN)
China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan during the sixth meeting of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2013. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Related:
The captain of the Vietnamese fishing boat that was fired at by a Chinese ship in March 20, 2013, Pham Quang Thanh, is seen on board the boat which sustained damage after a fire sparked by a Chinese flare. Vietnam complains that China has not stopped at threatening to use force, but it has actually used force in violating Vietnam’s sovereignty.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

VN calls on China to cease its Hoang Sa provocations


HA NOI (VNS)— Viet Nam has once again asked China to end its provocative actions in the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in order to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Luong Thanh Nghi told reporters on Tuesday.
Nghi was queried on the ministry's response to some of China's recent acts in the region, which include senior Chinese officials officially opening a Xinhua bookstore on Hoang Sa's Phu Lam Island, Chinese tourist agencies bringing visitors to the archipelago and an increase in Chinese fishing activity in Vietnamese waters.
"Viet Nam affirms its indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago. These actions from the Chinese side seriously violated Viet Nam's sovereignty and ran counter to the agreement guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Viet Nam and China," he said.
The acts did not comply with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and had caused a rise in tensions over the East Sea situation, he added.
On the same day, the Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, Van Huu Chien, declared Hoang Sa to be an island district belonging to central Da Nang city and an inseparable part of Viet Nam's territory.
China's decision to bring tourists to Hoang Sa violated Viet Nam's sovereignty and had created discontent among Da Nang authorities and people, he said.
"We strongly oppose this illegal action and request China to immediately put an end to organising tours and other activities on Hoang Sa archipelago," he stressed. — VNS

Search over this blog