The Pacific country of Vanuatu has detained two Chinese fishing boats and a Russian yacht due to concerns that the vessels are operating illegally in the waters, police said.
This is presumably the first time authorities in Vanuatu have detained Chinese fishing boats.
The Chinese boats, Dong Gang Xing 13 and 16, were apprehended on January 19 near the island of Hiu in the northern waters of Vanuatu, according to police.
The boats are currently moored in Port Vila as 14 Chinese citizens undergo the Covid-19 quarantine before being interrogated for illegal fishing.
While the Chinese vessels were escorting to the capital, the patrol boat also spotted a Russian yacht near Luganville, police said.
Three Russian citizens on board have been detained and will also be questioned about their presence near Vanuatu’s second largest city.
The arrests come because China’s fishing activities in the Pacific are in the spotlight after Palau detained another ship last month.
While Palau has a strained relationship with China due to its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, Vanuatu is an ally of Beijing and receives significant assistance from the Asian superpower.
A report by the London Research Center, the Overseas Development Institute, last year found that China had the largest fishing fleet in the world in the world, with an estimated 17,000 vessels.
It names China as “the most important player” in illegal fishing worldwide, citing poor fleet management and failure to pursue sustainable practices.
Beijing denies the allegations, with a spokesman for a foreign ministry saying in December: “As a responsible fishing country, China continues on the path of green and sustainable development.”
Vanuatu closed its air and maritime borders last March in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, amid fears the limited healthcare system could not handle the outbreak of the virus.
It has so far been able to keep coronavirus out of the community and has only quarantined one case in November.
The Chinese embassy in Port Vila did not respond to requests for comment.
str-ns / al / jah