Vietnamese fishermen have condemned China’s annual ban on fishing in the northern part of the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea, from May 16 to August 1.

The measure, introduced in 1999, means no fishing is allowed in parts of the sea under China’s jurisdiction except by single-layer gill nets or other approved methods, including conventional angling.

The chairman of the Vietnamese Fishery Association, Nguyen Viet Thang, has told Radio Free Asia’s Vietnamese Service the ban is illegal and threatens their livelihood.

“They can apply the ban in their water, not in our water because that would violate our law,” he said.

“We have said before that the ban does not have any validity to Vietnamese fishermen.”

The Vietnam Fisheries Society has lodged a complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other competent agencies to express objections.

– TiVi Tuan-san