It’s fishing season in the South China Sea. And clashes between Chinese fishermen and those of their seagoing neighbors are increasing. They are all demanding what they say are their rights. Christopher Cruise has the details.
The Philippines recently officially protested to China about use of the South China Sea. A fleet of 32 Chinese fishing boats sailed toward the Spratly islands. In May, the Philippines said China had vessels around a place called Second Thomas Shoal. It reported that the vessels included a military ship, two intelligence ships and some fishing boats.
Philippine official Raul Hernandez criticized the presence of the Chinese ships and boats as illegal. The Philippines says those waters are within its 370-kilometer area of exclusion.
“The concern of the Philippines is that this area, this shoal, is really an integral part of our national territory.”
This is the second year that military vessels have sailed so far south with Chinese fishing boats at this time of year. To help its fish stocks recover, China bans fishing near its own shores from the middle of May through August. Then it moves into waters claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The fishing ban causes special problems for Vietnam. The country refuses to recognize limitation of use on waters it claims as its own. This has led to sometimes violent clashes. For example, Vietnam has protested officially to China because it says a Chinese vessel crashed into one of its ships on purpose late last month.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25