By Luke Hunt
China has imposed its annual ban on commercial fishing in the South China Sea, but its efforts to preserve and replenish fish stocks have been met with skepticism. Hanoi is particularly irritated, while Manila is biting its tongue, believing the move is simply another form of Chinese bullying.
Vietnam says the ban, from May 16 to August 1, is “invalid”. The Philippines responded with its own ban, allowing a face saving reduction in tensions amid the month-long stand-off with China over Scarborough Shoal.
Neither believe China is genuinely acting in the best interests of food security, and they suspect its ulterior motive is simply to assert itself over the Spratly and Paracel islands, which has increasingly become a regional flashpoint.
Vietnamese and Philippine claims are on the basis of a U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea and a rule that gives maritime nations the right to explore, exploit and develop areas within their 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).
China insists the overwhelming majority of islands of the South China Sea – also known as the West Philippines Sea and the East Sea in Vietnam – fall under its sovereign jurisdiction despite many of the islands being located within the well defined EEZ territorial limits.
However, it says the EEZ convention doesn’t give maritime nations the right to undermine the sovereignty of other countries, adding the disputed waters have been traditional fishing grounds for Chinese fishermen for centuries.
Read the full story at The Diplomat