The Dilemma and Reflections on Governing Fishery Conflicts in the South China Sea under the U.S. Stigmatization of China: A Case Study of Vietnam’s Illegal Fishing

Abstract: In recent years, under the U.S. “Indo-Pacific Strategy,” the South China Sea fisheries issue has been increasingly politicized, securitized, and militarized, and incorporated into great-power competition narratives as a key discursive arena for stigmatizing China. In contrast to such narratives, Vietnam’s fisheries incursions in the South China Sea have remained frequent. Vietnamese fishing vessels have repeatedly conducted illegal operations in the waters of China and neighboring countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, triggering transnational fisheries disputes and diplomatic frictions. These activities undermine marine ecosystems and fisheries security, threaten coastal livelihoods, erode regional trust, and heighten uncertainty and risk in the South China Sea. Vietnam should strengthen domestic regulation and actively enhance regional cooperation. China and ASEAN countries should also assume a leading role in establishing institutionalized mechanisms for fisheries monitoring, crisis management, and coordinated law enforcement, thereby promoting peace, stability, and the sustainable use of marine resources in the South China Sea.

Key words:Vietnam IUU fishing; South China Sea; EU “yellow card”; U.S. Stigmatization; Maritime Security

Source：王腾飞, 薛亮. 美国污名化中国背景下的南海渔业冲突治理困境与思考 —— 以越南侵渔为例 [J]. 南海学刊，2026 (1):69-82.

Wang Tengfei is the Assistant Research Fellow of the Research Center of Oceans Law and Policy, National Institute for South China Sea Studies.

Link:

https://www.nanhai.org.cn/paper_c/898.html