Hua Chunying File Photo

 
The US Embassy in China is busy sabotaging bilateral relations by publishing groundless, unfriendly remarks against China, rather than enhancing friendships, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, made the remarks at a routine press conference on Tuesday, in response to the US embassy’s retweet of Acting Assistant Secretary for US Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Michael G Kozak’s post Saturday, which accused Chinese fleets of impacting “livelihoods and economies around the world.”

China is a responsible fishery country, adhering to the green and sustainable development path and attaching great importance to the scientific conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources. China has been taking the initiative to work with the international community to crack down on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishery activities, Hua said.

China holds zero tolerance against violations of regulations and laws against deep water fishing vessels while implementing strict supervision of offshore fisheries, and strengthening international cooperation, she stressed.

China has contributed to the relevant global efforts, strictly fulfilling obligations under multilateral fishery treaties, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and fishing in relevant high seas areas in accordance with the management measures of relevant regional fisheries organizations, according to Hua.

China’s performance of the contract has been well received by all fishery organizations. China also fishes in relevant exclusive economic zones according to bilateral arrangements with relevant coastal countries, and has achieved good economic and social effects, Hua said.

In the tweet, Kozak accused China of conducting the illegal harvest of cucumbers, saying “each kilogram of illegally harvested sea cucumbers can deprive a local fisherman and their family of $800.”

“We learned from the relevant administration that cucumbers are not the species that Chinese fishing vessels aim to catch, and China has not found any Chinese allowed to conduct such an illegal harvest.”

Chinese authorities have noticed reports on the possible illegal fishing of individual ships and are conducting in-depth investigations. 

We welcome all parties to supervise Chinese ocean-going fishing vessels. If you have clues that China has ocean-going fishing vessels engaged in illegal fishing, please inform the relevant Chinese authorities. And if it is found to be illegal, China will severely punish the fishing boats and affiliated enterprises with a "zero tolerance" attitude, Hua said. 

At the same time, we also urge the US to stop malicious political manipulation and stop instigating relations between China and relevant countries, she said. 

Hua pointed out that the US purse seine fishing vessels have been working way past the number of days allowed by relevant fishery regulation organizations, and it has been the case for many consecutive years.

Such foul acts have been noticed by and caused concerns of multiple relevant organizations. The US should reflect on its own faults and correct such violations, and give the international community an explanation, Hua said.