Water Wars: Fishermen Again Steer China into Hot Water

Apr 1, 2016 | Chris Mirasola
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Malaysia joined the ranks of countries taking issue with Chinese fishermen last Thursday, as 100 trawlers were detected within Malaysia’s claimed EEZ. On Friday, National Security Minister Shahidan Kassim reported that the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) had sighted foreign vessels within Malaysia’s EEZ and were continuing to monitor the situation. When asked about the incident, PRC Spokesperson Hong Lei said he did not “understand the details” but that “[a]t this time of year, every year, Chinese trawlers are in the relevant waters carrying out normal fishing activities.”