Steps needed to avoid escalating fishery accidents

Both China and South Korea have a large fishery industry. It is unavoidable that the two neighbors will have disagreements in the disputed waters. The two countries should see the bigger picture in solving the issue through dialogue and cooperation instead of letting accidental events turn into diplomatic and political problems, says an article in the Beijing News. Excerpts:

China and South Korea should start negotiations on demarcation of the disputed waters as soon as possible.

China conceded to South Korea in 2001, signing the China South Korea fishery agreement, according to which, the South Korea started controlling the Chinese fishermen in its exclusive economic zone sea area. The sea area that Chinese fishermen can work shrunk by a large a margin. Many fishermen know it is dangerous to fish in the South Korea’s fishing area. But some of them still take the risks to make ends meet.

Some fishermen do not accurately understand the agreement. They still work according to their old traditions. The South Korea marine police also strengthened their law enforcement. The bloody conflicts become inevitable.

Both sides should avoid escalating these accidents into diplomatic and political events influencing bilateral ties, which is in its historical best. The two countries should initiate the negotiation of China South Korea sea area demarcation, a proposal agreed by both sides in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Seoul this July, and establish a contingency plan in case of fishery dispute incidents.

China should strengthen the training and education for its fishermen, and the monitoring of its fishing boats. The Chinese authority must immediately warn and stop the fishing boats that are to sail into the South Korean waters.

South Korea law enforcement and government department should prevent the fishery conflicts from escalating to bloody incidents and political events.

The fishery departments of both sides urgently need to have regular dialogue and information exchanges with each other to avoid such accidents.