MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has protested China’s “unilateral imposition” of a fishing ban in the South China Sea, covering areas in which Manila has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.
“The Philippines does not recognize China’s unilateral imposition of a fishing moratorium in the South China Sea for the period 01 May to 16 August 2021,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Tuesday.
The DFA said China’s annual fishing moratorium goes beyond its”legitimate maritime entitlements” under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adding that the ban “is without basis under international law.”
“China cannot legal…
Keep on reading: PH protests China’s fishing ban; says Beijing can’t ‘legally enforce’ it in West PH Sea