New rule requires foreign fishing vessels to obtain Chinese approval to enter waters in disputed area.
The United States has described as "provocative and potentially dangerous" new Chinese restrictions of foreign fishing vessels in disputed waters in the South China Sea.
From January 1, China has required foreign fishing vessels to obtain approval to enter waters it says are under its jurisdiction. It rejects territorial claims by the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.
Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for the US State Department, said on Thursday that China gave no justification under international law for the new restictions.
The new Chinese rules do not outline penalties, but the requirements are similar to a 2004 national law that says boats entering Chinese territory without permission can have their catch and fishing equipment seized and face fines of up to $82,600.
Hua Chunying, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, said regulating the use of marine resources was a normal practice.
China has decided in the last 3 months that it owns the air over the East China sea which includes parts of South Korea and Japan. Now the Chinese government has unilaterally decided that it now controls all the fishing in the South China sea.
What's next? The place formerly known as Indo-China: Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia will be claimed by China because that's what western nations called that part of Southeast Asia. There's no end insight.
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