Negotiate an international treaty to replace the Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf between Vietnam and China
The Directorate of Fisheries said that in the face of the overwhelming covid-19 pandemic, a negotiation of a new international treaty to replace the expired agreement between two nations will be carried out through an exchange of draft and online debate.
According to the Directorate of Fisheries, the Minister issued a plan for performance of Decision no.60/QĐ-TTg regarding the extension of the Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf between Vietnam and China. At the same time, the Ministry submitted to the Prime Minister for his approval of a general project regarding the negotiation of an international treaty in terms of fisheries cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf.
On June 23, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc made an agreement on principles with the Submission made by the Ministry.
On July 23, Vietnam’s Directorate of Fisheries sent an official document to the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam kindly requesting China to carry out the negotiation (which is scheduled on July 28 in an online meeting) about the fisheries cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf in the future.
However, according to a notification by the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, the time of online negotiation offered by Vietnam wasn’t suitable to China and the Chinese Government requested two nations to exchange a new international treaty before negotiations.
On August 17, via the National Boundary Commission (under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Directorate of Fisheries received a draft of the Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation in the Tonkin Gulf between Vietnam and China made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
At present, the Directorate of Fisheries is translating the Chinese draft into Vietnamese and comparing it with the first draft in Vietnamese made by the Vietnamese Government for further studying and adjustment.
From August 24 to 28, the Directorate of Fisheries will complete its draft, hold a meeting to get opinions from relevant units and report to the Minister for his instructions before sending it to China.
China halts the exploitation in the ocean including Vietnamese water from 12h on May 01 till 12h on August 15 and disagrees with the extension of the agreement for more than a year. Thus, when the agreement totally expires on June 30, 2020, two countries are suggested to manage their fishing activities in accordance with the demarcation line in the Tonkin Gulf.
During this time, the Directorate of Fisheries advised the Ministry to send an official document to authorities in coastal prefectures notifying the situation, advising fishermen to continue their job, directing authorities to improve the management of marine exploitation, and adopting supportive measures when necessary.
With dissemination and instructions given by relevant agencies, fishermen are basically aware of legal fishing grounds, territory rights and attorney rights of Vietnam, thus, most fishermen are not worried of China’s unreasonable ban on fishing.
Vietnam’s fishermen still keep exploiting offshore and affirm the nation’s maritime boundaries thanks to support from competent authorities.
The Directorate of Fisheries said that in the face of the overwhelming covid-19 pandemic, a negotiation of a new international treaty to replace the expired agreement between two nations will be carried out through an exchange of draft and online debate.
The Directorate of Fisheries tightly cooperates with relevant agencies and promptly reports to the Minister about negotiation progress.
VFM
