Asia-Pacific News
Vietnam urges China to cancel fishing ban
Jun 8, 2009, 6:04 GMT
Hanoi - Vietnam is urging China to cancel its fishing ban in parts of the South China Sea in effect until August 1, Vietnamese media reported Monday.
Vietnam government spokesman Le Dung said Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had called the Chinese embassy in Hanoi urging China to cease operations at sea which interfere with Vietnamese fishermen's trade.
'I think this response comes too late, but it is necessary to encourage Vietnamese fishermen to continue their work,' said Nguyen Viet Thang, chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Society.
China officially imposed the ban on May 16 to prevent overfishing, but the area - a huge exclusive economic zone surrounding the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea - has long been at the centre of an international territorial dispute between Vietnam and China, as well as other countries in the region.
Last Thursday, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ho Xuan Son met with the Chinese ambassador to Vietnam, Sun Quoqiang, and told him that the fishing ban 'caused indignation among the public, bringing no benefit to bilateral relations.' He requested that the Chinese side stop all operations preventing Vietnamese fishermen fishing in marine areas under Vietnamese sovereignty.
Dan Tri newspaper reported Friday that a Vietnamese fishing boat was attacked by two unknown ships while fishing in the South China Sea. After hitting and damaging the fishing boat the two ships left.
Lao Dong newspaper reported on May 20 that a Vietnamese fishing vessel was hit intentionally by an unidentified ship near the Spratly and Paracel Islands.
After the attack, the boat sank and 26 fishermen had to use life buoys to survive. They were eventually saved by nearby fishing boats after having spent several hours in the sea.
The state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper last week reported that hundreds of Vietnamese fishing boats had docked at their ports for days due to worries about China's fishing ban.
'We are encouraging fishermen to continue fishing,' said Chu Tien Vinh, director of the Department for Aquatic Product Resources Protection. 'If they are attacked by foreign ships, they should immediately inform the authorities. The coast guard will protect them.'
Tensions over sovereignty in the South China Sea have risen since a May 13 deadline for countries to submit territorial claims to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Beijing rejected submissions by Malaysia, Vietnam and other countries as violating its own claims in the area.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
China did this 11 times and didn't get a peep from Vietnam and others. Now suddenly everyone want to test China's patience and its mantra of Peaceful Ocean? Whatever happen to the 6 nation South China Sea cooperation pact? Everyone forgotten it?
No, the fishermen have always complained. Vietnamese fishermen have always made accusations of harsh Chinese treatments on the sea that does not belong to Chinese jurisdiction (by international law standard). Vietnamese people are making stronger protests this time because they are getting tired of this kind of unilateral action by China. Moreover, China continually calls for cooperation with its neighboros. Cooperation is not when one makes unilateral decisions without consulting others. Cooperation is not going around sinking other countries' boats and shooting their fishermen. If China wants to be true to its words it needs to stop this habit of making unilateral decisions without considering the rights and feelings of others. The protests are also stronger now because China is being increasingly aggressive. Increased aggression garners increased protests. It is a natural consequence.
The people of Vietnam need to come together and to boycott all Chinese's products. That will teach them a lesson. Remember, between 2007 and 2008 Vietnam imported 18+ Billions Dollar more than exported to that stinky Country.
All China's products Vietnam can buy them from other countries.
We need to boycotte all goods made in China. Their products are low in quality and much more expensive if we consider the product cost/its use. Moreover, they are more dangerous (contain unknown ingredients !!!)
I am allergic to all 'made in China'. It is a relieve to see 'made in any except Sino'. Where is the 'made in US'? We are so easy to let Chinese products passing our screening; it is Bush's policies, not ours. Politics and economy are always go together, but whether this relationship is going so far unusual?
Believe me, China will be our problem within 20 years. They are coming from a different culture!!!
What china done is unfair. Japan will stand up for the light and support Vietnam. But Vietnam have to be determine on their own right. Budda bless us
page: 1
ASEANJun 8th, 2009 - 23:22:48
Other Southeast Asian countries need to voice up with Vietnam in this matter. If countries don't join together to oppose this kind of unilateral action against China, in the future, China will also behave like this in other areas of the South China Sea. It is sad to see that CHina can take unilateral actions like this without ASEAN acting as a body to oppose it. It is time for ASEAN to do what it was meant to do.
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