Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying

China refutes U.S. allegations on fishing practices

CHINA
Friday, December 04, 2020, 09:00 (GMT + 9)

BEIJING (Xinhua) -- The U.S. accusations regarding China's fishery practices are completely baseless and have bent international law and relevant multilateral fisheries agreements, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Thursday.

At a daily press briefing, Hua responded to a query on U.S. accusations of China engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Pacific Ocean.

She said as a responsible fishing country, China adheres to the path of green and sustainable development, the science-based conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources, and the sustainable development of global fishing industries.

China has "zero tolerance" for violations of relevant laws and regulations committed by distant fishing vessels, and has long been in close communication and cooperation with countries in the region, and is committed to preserving the production order of marine fisheries and marine ecological environment, she said.

China strictly implements the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and multilateral fishing agreements to which it is a party, Hua said.

China’s fishery authorities have introduced hard-hitting punishments for overfishing and illegal fishing by the country’s distant water fishing (DWF) vessels

"China's practice of fishery management is fully consistent with the requirements of international law," she said.

The U.S. baseless accusations deliberately bent international law and relevant multilateral fisheries agreements, Hua said. "Its politicization of the IUU issue disrupts the global efforts to crack down on IUU practices and undermines international cooperation to protect the marine environment and promote sustainable fisheries."

"We urge the U.S. side to stop spreading rumors on these issues, quit its political manipulation, and stop trying to drive a wedge between countries," she said.

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