A Bilateral Network of Marine Protected Areas Between Vietnam and China: An Alternative to the Chinese Unilateral Fishing Ban in the South China Sea?

摘要

The Chinese annual fishing ban in the northwestern area of the South China Sea has been a cause for tension between Vietnam and China in recent years. This article advocates for the replacement of this unilateral fishing ban with a bilateral network of marine protected areas between China and Vietnam. Such a network, if properly implemented, could not only help to preserve the living resources of the South China Sea, but also contribute toward decreasing the tension between the two countries.