Vietnam Objects to China''s Unilateral Fishing Ban in South China Sea, Will Help Fishermen Continue Lawful Operations
Vietnam has expressed strong dissatisfaction with China''s unilateral fishing ban in parts of the South China Sea, which includes Vietnam''s exclusive economic zone. Vietnam calls on China to respect its sovereignty and international law, while its Fishermen''s Association vows to continue lawful fishing with government support. The ban, which China implements annually, is seen by Vietnam as a violation of its rights and international conventions, increasing the risk of conflict.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 12:44
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Central News Agency (CNA) correspondent Tseng Ting-hsuan reported from Hanoi on the 7th – China''s recent unilateral announcement of a fishing ban in parts of the South China Sea, including Vietnam''s exclusive economic zone, has sparked dissatisfaction in Vietnam. Hanoi has called on China to respect Vietnam''s sovereignty and abide by international law. The Fishermen''s Association stated that it would continue to assist fishermen in lawful operations with government support.
China recently announced that from May 1st to August 16th, it would implement its annual summer fishing ban, which has been in effect since 1999, in parts of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea. This unilaterally prohibits Chinese and foreign fishermen from operating in the relevant waters, some of which are disputed territories.
Despite Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm''s visit to China less than a month ago, which prominently displayed the ''brotherly friendship'' between Vietnam and China, China still unilaterally banned Vietnamese fishermen from fishing in the relevant waters, threatening to confiscate vessels, equipment, and catches of violators.
In response, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng emphasized on the 5th that Vietnam''s consistent stance on China''s fishing ban in the East Sea has been clear for years.
She reiterated: ''Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam''s sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (Hoàng Sa Archipelago) in accordance with international law, and Vietnam''s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over its waters established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Vietnam also demands respect for the legitimate fishing rights of Vietnamese fishermen in Vietnamese waters and in areas beyond national jurisdiction in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS 1982.''
Hanoi called on China ''not to take actions that complicate the situation, and to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, and a rules-based maritime order in the East Sea.'' From a sovereign perspective, Vietnam refers to the South China Sea as the ''East Sea'' and the Paracel Islands as the ''Hoàng Sa Archipelago.''
Each year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends diplomatic notes to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi to protest China''s unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea.
According to a VNA report on the 6th, the Vietnam Fisheries Association recently submitted documents to the Government Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opposing China''s unilateral fishing ban in the East Sea in 2026.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that China''s self-proclaimed fishing moratorium covers areas from 12 degrees North latitude to 26 degrees 30 minutes North latitude, including the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam''s exclusive economic zone in the central East Sea, north of the Spratly Islands (Truong Sa Archipelago).
The Vietnam Fisheries Association emphasized that this is a unilateral and baseless fishing ban by China, which seriously infringes upon Vietnam''s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, violates international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and goes against the spirit of the ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.''
The ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea,'' also known as the ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,'' is a legally binding political document signed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in 2002, aimed at peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea (East Sea) and committing to mutual restraint and adherence to international law.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that the prolonged Chinese fishing ban would hinder the normal operations of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen in Vietnam''s sovereign waters, not only creating difficulties for the fishing industry and fishermen''s livelihoods but also increasing the risk of friction between Vietnamese fishing vessels and the Chinese Coast Guard.
Vietnam strongly opposes China''s unreasonable fishing ban and demands that China immediately cease this unreasonable fishing ban in waters under Vietnamese sovereignty and in international waters.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association called on competent authorities to ''take strong measures to prevent China''s unreasonable fishing ban, to ensure the safety of Vietnamese fishermen operating in waters under Vietnam''s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and to safeguard national maritime and island sovereignty.''
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that it would not cease normal fishing operations and would guide provincial fisheries branches and fishing groups to go out to sea, closely cooperating with relevant agencies to ensure fishermen operate lawfully at sea, and ''proactively respond to China''s improper actions, protect fishermen, and encourage them to fish with peace of mind, contributing to the safeguarding of national maritime and island sovereignty.''
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and disregards the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which rejected China''s claims. Beijing not only frequently intercepts fishing vessels but also ''patrols'' disputed waters almost daily, attempting to obstruct military and exploration activities.
UNCLOS stipulates that fishing bans can only be implemented within a country''s exclusive economic zone. However, China has extended the scope to parts of the ''nine-dash line'' in the South China Sea. Some analysts believe this is an exercise of sovereign control in the South China Sea under the guise of environmental protection and fisheries resource management, to strengthen its de facto control over the Paracel Islands. (Editor: Chen Yen-chun) 1150507
China recently announced that from May 1st to August 16th, it would implement its annual summer fishing ban, which has been in effect since 1999, in parts of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea. This unilaterally prohibits Chinese and foreign fishermen from operating in the relevant waters, some of which are disputed territories.
Despite Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm''s visit to China less than a month ago, which prominently displayed the ''brotherly friendship'' between Vietnam and China, China still unilaterally banned Vietnamese fishermen from fishing in the relevant waters, threatening to confiscate vessels, equipment, and catches of violators.
In response, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Phạm Thu Hằng emphasized on the 5th that Vietnam''s consistent stance on China''s fishing ban in the East Sea has been clear for years.
She reiterated: ''Vietnam demands that China respect Vietnam''s sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (Hoàng Sa Archipelago) in accordance with international law, and Vietnam''s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over its waters established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Vietnam also demands respect for the legitimate fishing rights of Vietnamese fishermen in Vietnamese waters and in areas beyond national jurisdiction in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS 1982.''
Hanoi called on China ''not to take actions that complicate the situation, and to contribute to maintaining peace, stability, and a rules-based maritime order in the East Sea.'' From a sovereign perspective, Vietnam refers to the South China Sea as the ''East Sea'' and the Paracel Islands as the ''Hoàng Sa Archipelago.''
Each year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends diplomatic notes to the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi to protest China''s unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea.
According to a VNA report on the 6th, the Vietnam Fisheries Association recently submitted documents to the Government Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opposing China''s unilateral fishing ban in the East Sea in 2026.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that China''s self-proclaimed fishing moratorium covers areas from 12 degrees North latitude to 26 degrees 30 minutes North latitude, including the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and Vietnam''s exclusive economic zone in the central East Sea, north of the Spratly Islands (Truong Sa Archipelago).
The Vietnam Fisheries Association emphasized that this is a unilateral and baseless fishing ban by China, which seriously infringes upon Vietnam''s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, violates international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and goes against the spirit of the ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.''
The ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea,'' also known as the ''Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,'' is a legally binding political document signed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in 2002, aimed at peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea (East Sea) and committing to mutual restraint and adherence to international law.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that the prolonged Chinese fishing ban would hinder the normal operations of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen in Vietnam''s sovereign waters, not only creating difficulties for the fishing industry and fishermen''s livelihoods but also increasing the risk of friction between Vietnamese fishing vessels and the Chinese Coast Guard.
Vietnam strongly opposes China''s unreasonable fishing ban and demands that China immediately cease this unreasonable fishing ban in waters under Vietnamese sovereignty and in international waters.
The Vietnam Fisheries Association called on competent authorities to ''take strong measures to prevent China''s unreasonable fishing ban, to ensure the safety of Vietnamese fishermen operating in waters under Vietnam''s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and to safeguard national maritime and island sovereignty.''
The Vietnam Fisheries Association stated that it would not cease normal fishing operations and would guide provincial fisheries branches and fishing groups to go out to sea, closely cooperating with relevant agencies to ensure fishermen operate lawfully at sea, and ''proactively respond to China''s improper actions, protect fishermen, and encourage them to fish with peace of mind, contributing to the safeguarding of national maritime and island sovereignty.''
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and disregards the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which rejected China''s claims. Beijing not only frequently intercepts fishing vessels but also ''patrols'' disputed waters almost daily, attempting to obstruct military and exploration activities.
UNCLOS stipulates that fishing bans can only be implemented within a country''s exclusive economic zone. However, China has extended the scope to parts of the ''nine-dash line'' in the South China Sea. Some analysts believe this is an exercise of sovereign control in the South China Sea under the guise of environmental protection and fisheries resource management, to strengthen its de facto control over the Paracel Islands. (Editor: Chen Yen-chun) 1150507