China Slams US ‘Malicious’ Pressure on Distant-Water Fishing Industry

China has strongly rejected a US government report that accuses the country of engaging in illegal fishing, with Beijing denouncing the findings as “naked political manipulation” aimed at undermining its distant-water fishing industry. The protest marks the latest flashpoint in ongoing tensions between the world’s two largest economies over maritime resources and fishing rights.

On July 3, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun responded at a regular press briefing to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) “2026 International Fisheries Management Improvement Report,” which made “negative certifications” against China for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. According to Xinhua News, Guo stated that the US determinations are based solely on US domestic law, lack factual basis and international law grounding, and constitute “naked political manipulation.”

“The US made so-called determinations based on its domestic law, which are neither consistent with objective facts nor grounded in international law,” Guo said, as reported by Xinhua. “Their purpose is to maliciously suppress the development of China’s distant-water fisheries, which constitutes naked political manipulation. China deplores and firmly opposes this.”

Context and Background

The dispute over distant-water fishing is part of a broader pattern of US-China strategic competition. The US has increasingly scrutinized China’s fishing activities through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act, which require NOAA to identify nations whose vessels engage in IUU fishing. In January 2026, the US House Select Committee on Strategic Competition released a report titled “China’s Fishing Offensive,” accusing China’s distant-water fleet of being the world’s largest perpetrator of IUU fishing.

China operates the world’s largest distant-water fishing fleet, with thousands of vessels operating across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans, and Antarctic waters. The fleet has expanded significantly since beginning operations in 1985, and China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) includes goals for “high-quality development” of the industry.

China’s Defense

Guo emphasized that China is a “responsible fishing nation” with zero tolerance for illegal fishing. As CGTN reported, he noted that China has complete legislation, strict enforcement, and ranks among the top in compliance performance in regional fisheries management organizations.

In April 2025, China formally acceded to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA), a key international treaty to combat IUU fishing. Guo pointed to this as evidence of China’s commitment to international norms.

Counter-Accusations Against the US

Turning the tables on Washington, Guo accused the United States of having a “deplorable record” in illegal fishing. According to Global Times, he stated that the US has long engaged in over-quota tuna fishing in the Western and Central Pacific, with multiple violations identified by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.

“By contrast, the US has a deplorable record in illegal fishing, damaging marine resources and polluting the marine environment,” Guo said. “What the United States should do is reflect on itself rather than smear others.”

Analysis and Implications

The NOAA report and China’s forceful response must be viewed within the broader context of US-China strategic competition. China’s characterization of the US action as “political manipulation” reflects its view that the fishing allegations are part of a broader strategy to contain China’s economic and maritime influence.

The dispute highlights a fundamental disagreement about the extraterritorial application of US law and the standards for evaluating fishing practices. While independent assessments from organizations like the IUU Fishing Risk Index and Greenpeace have generally corroborated concerns about Chinese fishing practices, Beijing consistently rejects these allegations, presenting itself as a responsible actor in global fisheries governance.

What’s Next

The incident could further strain US-China relations, adding to existing tensions over trade, technology, Taiwan, and the South China Sea. The US could potentially impose trade measures or port access restrictions on Chinese fishing vessels, affecting China’s distant-water fishing industry. Meanwhile, the disagreement could complicate efforts at multilateral fisheries governance, including implementation of the PSMA and cooperation within regional fisheries management organizations.

As Guo concluded: “China stands ready to work with all parties to improve global fisheries governance, uphold international maritime order, and contribute to conservation and sustainable use of marine resources through concrete actions.”