China, U.S. spar over new fishing rules

All foreign vessels required to obtain approval

January 10, 2014 11:00 pm | Updated May 13, 2016 08:38 am IST - BEIJING:

A new fishing regulation outlined by a Chinese province requiring all foreign vessels to obtain approval before entering the disputed waters of the South China Sea has stirred regional concern, even as China on Friday defended the measures and accused the United States of fanning tensions.

With Washington describing the move as “provocative and potentially dangerous,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded on Friday saying its 30-year-old fisheries laws had been “consistently implemented in a normal way and never caused any tension.”

The official Xinhua news agency hit out at the U.S. in less diplomatic language, accusing Washington of “resorting to the old trick of divide and rule.”

“First it stirs up tensions, disputes and even conflicts, then steps in to pose as mediator or judge in a bid to maximise its own interests,” a commentary said, adding: “Washington’s accusations are unreasonable, as China’s fishing regulations are in line with international practice and aimed at strengthening the protection of fishery resources and maritime environment. The United States itself has similar ones.”

The new measures, which take effect from January 1, will be administered by the southern island province of Hainan. China’s maritime claims is contested by more than 10 countries.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.