China today launches its annual fishing ban in the South China Sea - a unilateral act that comes amid unprecedented tensions in the disputed area and fresh fears that Beijing is using the moratorium to assert its sovereignty claims there.
The mainland's fisheries administration vessels will seek to enforce the 10-week ban on most kinds of commercial fishing from the 12th parallel north of the disputed Spratly Islands up to the Chinese coast, encompassing waters around the disputed Paracel Islands.
The ban is going ahead despite a diplomatic protest from Vietnam - which claims both island groups - and recent incidents involving intensified patrols by new Chinese fisheries protection ships, some of which are armed with heavy machine guns.
The incidents have included China's largest fishing protection ship, the 4,600-tonne Yuzheng 311, being surrounded by more than 20 Vietnamese fishing and coastguard vessels last month as it attempted to stop harassment of Chinese fishing boats. The Yuzheng - a converted naval vessel - was also intercepted by Malaysian naval ships and aircraft as it patrolled south of the Spratlys late last month, according to mainland press accounts.
Reports of mainland fishermen facing harassment from Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia were cited as justification for the expanded mainland patrols earlier this year.
In March, China also staged its most extensive naval and air exercises yet over the South China Sea.