China swipes at US over possible sanctions for alleged illegal fishing in Pacific, human rights abuse in Tibet
- Washington is turning ‘blind eye to its own violations’, Beijing claims after report on punitive measures
- China says US is not qualified to play ‘world police’
Beijing has accused Washington of turning “a blind eye to its own violations”, after reports emerged of new US sanctions on China over alleged illegal fishing in the Pacific Ocean and human rights abuses in Tibet.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the United States would sanction 170 largely Chinese entities allegedly involved in illegal fishing in the Pacific. The assets of the targets within US jurisdiction will be frozen, with travel and business dealings prohibited.
The move is meant to cut off the targets from the world’s largest markets, possibly driving them out of business, while individuals associated with those companies may face difficulties travelling.
But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday that Washington was “interfering in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of human rights”, adding that China would “resolutely take effective measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests”.
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Washington has accused China of damaging marine ecosystems by exhausting fishing stocks, and trying to project its maritime reach by establishing a network of ports outside China.
“China’s national and local governments recruit some commercial fishing vessels into maritime militia activity,” the Congressional Research Service said in a report for lawmakers, published in April.
Government officials would then “require them to operate in specified waters to defend national sovereignty rights, participate in training and sovereignty defence, and provide support to the [People’s Liberation Army] in combat,” the service said.
She added the US “turns a blind eye to its own violations while pointing fingers at other countries”.
