In a diplomatic move to ease tensions and address illegal fishing concerns, China has agreed to a maritime deal requiring its fishing vessels to install and activate location tracking devices while operating in South Korean waters. The agreement, effective from May 1, 2024, mandates Chinese fishing fleets to use the internationally accepted automatic identification system (AIS) within South Korea’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The decision is seen as a concession by China to mend ties with South Korea and combat illegal fishing activities. South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries emphasized that the requirement for location tracking devices will enhance their ability to monitor and manage China’s illegal fishing practices.
The agreement also outlines a reduction in the number of fishing boats each country will permit in its EEZ, limiting it to 1,200 vessels, down from 1,250 in 2022. This diplomatic resolution follows a recent incident where South Korea seized a Chinese vessel for illegal fishing near Hongdo island in the Yellow Sea.
Terence Roehrig, a professor of national security and a Korea expert at the U.S. Naval War College, noted the significance of the agreement, describing it as a diplomatic solution to the dispute. Roehrig suggests that China’s inclusion of the AIS provision in the deal can be viewed as a small concession, possibly aimed at addressing the negative views of China in South Korea and preventing further deterioration of the bilateral relationship.
