On Fisheries Conflicts Between China and the Philippines in Disputed South China Sea Waters

The disputed South China Sea (SCS) waters between China and the Philippines include the water area of the Nansha Islands with the sovereignty dispute over it and the overlapping waters between the Taiwan Island and the Philippine Islands. Fisheries management activities and private fisheries activities authorized by the government in disputed waters are acts of a State exercising its jurisdiction, and they may serve as evidence of effective occupation over disputed territories. Since fisheries conflicts in disputed waters involved jurisdiction and territorial sovereignty over the water area , the parties to the dispute may end up having political and legal conflicts in the dispute settlement process. The 1997 People of the Philippines v. Chia Say Chaw, et al., the 2013 Guang Da Xing No. 28 incident, and the case involving the fishing boat Qiong Qionghai 09063 in 2014 fully reflected that fisheries conflicts are not only legal disputes but also political issues. Through cooperation, China and the Philippines can manage differences and promote the resolution of fisheries conflicts between both States in disputed SCS waters.