The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has said that China’s temporary ban of fishing activities in Viet Nam’s territorial waters is worthless. 

Many fishing boats being anchored at Da Nang’s Tho Quang fishing wharf

MARD has issued this statement in response to an announcement released by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture which says that the fishing ban is lasting from 1 May to 16 August 2018, covering the East Sea, including the Gulf of Tonkin and Viet Nam’s territorial waters.

Following the instructions from MARD, the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday informed local fishermen about China’s fishing ban.

In particular, Vietnamese fishermen are encouraged to maintain their normal fishing activities in Viet Nam’s territory waters, and go sailing in groups in order to enable mutual help in case of problems.

Of note, Vietnamese fishing vessels licensed to work in the Common Fishery Zone between Viet Nam and China in the 2017 - 2018 period must not cross the border running through this area to reach the eastern part nearer to China.

The Common Fishery Zone, where both Vietnamese and Chinese fishing boats can travel, is a body of water in the Gulf of Tonkin – which is off the coast of northern Viet Nam and southern China.

Furthermore, Vietnamese fishing boats entering and leaving docks are strictly controlled, and their operations at sea are closely monitored.

Any possible unexpected sea incidents involving Vietnamese vessels should be reported to MARD via the hotline of the Viet Nam Fisheries Surveillance Department: 04-62737323.

Previously, the Viet Nam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) had voiced its protest against China’s unilateral decision to ban fishing in the East Sea.

The ban hampers fishing activities of Vietnamese fishermen and violates Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago and territorial waters in the Tonkin Gulf as well as its legitimate rights and interests.

It also infringes international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and related international legal documents, and runs counter to the spirit and wording of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) signed between ASEAN and China in 2002.

China’s unilateral action is not in line with the development trend of Viet Nam-China relations, and is not beneficial to peace and stability in the region.