Cooperative Video Conference on Korea-China Fisheries Issues... Discussion on Fishing Order and Fisheries Problems in the First Half of the Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Korea-China Fisheries Cooperation Meeting was held via video conference on the 24th, attended by officials from the foreign ministries of both Korea and China as well as personnel from fisheries-related agencies.

At this meeting, both sides evaluated the fishing order in relevant waters such as the West Sea during the first half of this year, checked the status of illegal fishing by Chinese vessels, and discussed measures to eradicate it. They also discussed cooperation measures between the two countries, including prevention of fisheries-related incidents and accidents, response to depletion of fisheries resources between Korea and China, and strengthening exchanges between related agencies of both countries. The Korea-China Fisheries Cooperation Meeting is a working-level consultative body attended by the foreign ministries and fisheries-related agencies of both countries, held regularly twice a year.

Both Korea and China, marking the 20th anniversary of the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement this year, evaluated that the fishing order has been stably maintained under the fisheries agreement system so far, and agreed to further expand cooperation in the fisheries sector based on the trust and cooperation built by the authorities of both countries.

The Korean side stated that due to the difficulties in physical enforcement activities caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), both sides should cooperate more closely through joint patrols to eradicate illegal fishing by Chinese vessels. Additionally, leveraging the advantages of the video conference format, the West Sea 5 Islands Special Security Unit, which has jurisdiction over the Yeonpyeongdo waters, was connected on-site to listen to related situations and hold a Q&A session. Through the on-site video connection, both sides confirmed in real-time the status of illegal fishing near the Northern Limit Line [NLL] in the West Sea and the difficulties faced during enforcement.

The Chinese side introduced that since 2017, no major incidents or accidents related to Korea-China fisheries have occurred, and illegal fishing by Chinese vessels has been on a declining trend, emphasizing that efforts such as strengthened enforcement have been continuously made to improve fishing order.

Both Korea and China agreed to work together to improve the issue of illegal fishing by Chinese vessels in the West Sea and East Sea NLL waters and to protect fishery resources and preserve the marine ecosystem through management of fishery resources within the provisional measures waters. They also evaluated the uninterrupted holding of the 14th Korea-China Fisheries Cooperation Meeting via video conference despite the COVID-19 situation and agreed to continue actively utilizing this meeting, hosted by the foreign authorities of both countries, as an important communication channel to discuss cooperation measures in the fisheries sector between the two countries.

The meeting was attended by Choi Hee-deok, Director of the Northeast Asia Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the chief representative, along with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea Coast Guard, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China, Consulate General in Shanghai, Consulate General in Shenyang, and Consulate General in Qingdao. The Chinese side was represented by Tian Xiongfeng, Deputy Director of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the chief representative, along with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fisheries and Fishery Management Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Coast Guard Bureau, and Embassy of China in Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.