1. The 8th Republic of Korea-China meeting on fisheries cooperation took place in Qingdao, China, on November 26, with Deputy Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs Chung Byung-won of the ROK Foreign Ministry and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs Zhai Leiming of the Chinese Foreign Ministry leading their respective delegations. The meeting is a regular consultative channel for discussions on fisheries issues between diplomatic and fisheries authorities of the two countries.

2. Sharing the view that despite the two sides’ continued efforts to improve the fisheries order in the Yellow Sea (West Sea), illegal fishing by Chinese vessels is becoming an important bilateral issue that needs an urgent solution, the two sides focused their discussions on ways to improve the fisheries order in the Yellow sea. They also agreed to work together to ensure that the issue of illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea does not have a negative impact on the ROK-China relations, which are developing in a sound manner.

3. In the meeting, the ROK raised the following issues as key issues related to illegal fishing by Chinese vessels: illegal fishing in waters near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), handling boats that operate without permits, and Chinese vessels’ violent resistance during crackdowns and mass incursion into the ROK’s EEZ. Especially stressing that illegal fishing activities by Chinese boats are causing enormous damage to ROK fishermen, the ROK side called for the Chinese side’s tangible and effective measures.

o Regarding illegal fishing in waters near the NLL, the ROK side emphasized that illegal fishing operations by Chinese vessels in the waters are further growing this year, making the situation worse. The ROK side requested that the Chinese side station crackdown vessels at all times in waters near the NLL, strengthen supervision over fish transportation ships, provide more education and guidance to fishermen, and confiscate weapons before sailing off.

o Regarding handling boats that operate without permits, the ROK side stressed the need to strengthen measures to handle fishing vessels without permits through effective implementation of the ROK-China agreement on joint measures to prevent IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, which was adopted in the 15th meeting of the ROK-China joint committee on fisheries. The ROK side proposed that the two sides increase handover of vessels that commit serious violations, and facilitate bilateral information sharing. The ROK side also said that it will vigorously push forward measures, including revising relevant domestic laws, to confiscate and scrap Chinese fishing vessels without permits.

o In addition, the ROK side expressed concern over the fact that there are still some vessels without permits that violently resist crackdowns and make a mass incursion into the ROK’s EEZ. The ROK side requested that the Chinese side take effective measures, including deploying more coast guard vessels and providing more guidance and education to Chinese fishermen.

4. In response, the Chinese side said that it considers illegal fishing an important matter, and that under the principle of severe punishment on illegal fishing vessels, it is taking a range of measures, including strengthening control and supervision over fishing vessels in major waters; providing more guidance and education to fishermen; strengthening control and surveillance over fishing vessels that sailed off; improving laws and regulations related to fisheries; and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between law enforcement authorities of the two countries. The Chinese side said that it will continue to pay close attention to the issue and actively work to resolve the issue.

5. The two sides also agreed to work together to conclude a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on maritime security between the two countries within this year. The MOU is being discussed between the Korea Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard.

6. Concerning the implementation of the measures in the fisheries area agreed upon between the leaders of the two countries, the two sides agreed to continue to strengthen joint crackdown, including by increasing joint patrols by the two countries’ guidance ships in their provisional measure zone, and giving officials of the two countries in charge of fisheries guidance and crackdown more opportunities to board each other’s ships.

7. The two sides shared the view that the meeting, led by the ROK and Chinese Foreign Ministries and attended by relevant government agencies of the two countries in charge of fisheries policies and crackdowns, has served as a useful and important channel for bilateral communication on illegal fishing and fisheries cooperation, along with the ROK-China joint committee on fisheries and other consultative mechanisms between the two countries. The two sides agreed to continue to proactively use the consultative mechanism.

8. They agreed to hold the ninth ROK-China meeting on fisheries cooperation at an appropriate time in the first half of next year in the ROK.


*unofficial translation