A Vietnam Coast Guard vessel patrols the East Sea.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has strongly rejected China’s unilateral imposition of a seasonal fishing ban in the East Sea, also known as the South China Sea, stating that it violates Vietnam’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its maritime zones.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien has signed an official notice to coastal provinces and cities, urging them to encourage Vietnamese fishermen to continue normal fishing activities within Vietnam’s maritime areas.
According to the notice, the Rural Agriculture Department of Sanya City, China, has issued its annual summer fishing moratorium for 2025, effective from May 1 to August 16. The ban applies to waters north of latitude 12°00'N up to latitude 26°30'N, covering parts of the Gulf of Tonkin and overlapping Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone.
In response, the Ministry emphasized that China’s unilateral ban seriously infringes upon Vietnam’s sovereignty and rights in the East Sea, and therefore holds no legal value.
Local authorities have been requested to promptly inform fishermen about the Chinese ban and to encourage them to maintain normal operations within Vietnamese waters. The ministry also called for the formation of fishing groups or teams to enhance mutual support while at sea.
The ministry further warned that China might take aggressive actions, including detaining Vietnamese fishing vessels operating in the contested areas during the ban period. Fishermen are urged to stay alert and report any violations by foreign vessels in Vietnam’s waters to the appropriate authorities.
Provincial governments were also instructed to enhance monitoring of fishing activities via the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), issue alerts when necessary, and strictly manage all vessel departures and arrivals during this period.
In the event of emergencies or maritime incidents involving Vietnamese fishing boats, local authorities are asked to report immediately to the Fisheries Department and Fisheries Surveillance via the hotline: 0815 886 188.
