Chinese fishermen face dangerous waters as result of South China Sea dispute

World Today

One of the challenges for the Chinese government is the growing tensions in the South China Sea. China has proposed resolution through dialogue to its neighbors, but territorial disputes continue to arise. Today’s fishermen not only face the perils of the open sea, but also the danger of an encounter with a foreign patrol boat.

CCTV’s Han Bin filed this report from Tanmen, Hainan Province, China.

Highlights:

 

  • The Tanmen people call their navigation log of the South China Sea “Genglubu”, which means the “Road Book”.
  • There are numerous versions of the Genglubu, and it contains centuries of hard-won experience. Every island and its surrounding conditions are clearly described.
  • Chinese experts believe the navigation logs are clear evidence that Chinese fishermen were the first explorers in the South China Sea.
  • The people of Tanmen have been fishing in the South China Sea for generations. Tanmen is a very small fishing town, which has become well known as its residents work on China ‘s maritime frontier.