On May 4, the Vietnam Fisheries Association sent an official dispatch to the Government Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Central Foreign Affairs Committee regarding their opposition to China’s unilateral fishing ban in the East Sea.

Recently, the Chinese media reported that China had issued a fishing ban in the East Sea from May 1 through September 16, 2021. The fishing ban ranges from the northern waters of the East Sea to 12 degree north latitude, including part of the Gulf of Tonkin and the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago under Vietnam’s sovereignty.

The Vietnam Fisheries Association believes that this is a unilateral, unreasonable action by the Chinese side, which seriously violates Vietnam's sovereignty, the rights and interests of Vietnam in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In addition, it also violates international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other legal documents, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

The enactment of the fishing ban and prolongation of fishing ban in the East Sea creates a risk of clashes between Vietnamese law enforcement forces and Vietnamese fishing vessels and Chinese maritime forces and hinders normal activities of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen in the waters under Vietnamese sovereignty.

The Vietnam Fisheries Association strongly opposes China’s unilateral, wrongful actions.

"China’s fishing ban is worthless. China has no right to ban fishing in the waters of Vietnam's sovereignty. China is requested to immediately end the fishing ban in the East Sea," the Vietnam Fisheries Association stated.

The Vietnam Fisheries Association also asked the authorities to strongly oppose and take drastic measures to immediately stop China’s fishing ban, in order to protect marine resources, protect the safety of Vietnamese fishermen when they fish in Vietnamese waters, and maintain national defense and security, and national sovereignty over the sea and islands.

The Vietnam Fisheries Association will work closely with local fisheries societies, seafood associations, and related agencies to actively propagate information for fishermen to comply with the law when they go fishing at sea, support fishermen to feel secure to go to sea for fishing, and contribute to protecting the sovereignty of the waters and islands of the country.

Responding to the unilateral declaration of China, Deputy Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Doan Khac Viet stated that Vietnam protested and resolutely rejected this unilateral decision of China.

This ban violates Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago, violates international law, including the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, is contrary to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and is contrary to the agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of problems at sea between Vietnam and China.

Thanh Nam

Vietnam resolutely rejects China’s unilateral fishing ban: Deputy Spokesman

Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Doan Khac Viet underlined Vietnam’s objection to China’s recent fishing ban