China begins annual summer fishing ban

China started its annual summer fishing ban on Thursday to conserve the marine fishery.

Lasting up to Sept. 16, the fishing ban covers the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the waters north of 12 degrees north latitude in the South China Sea, aiming to ensure natural regeneration of fishery resources.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and the China Coast Guard have jointly launched a special law enforcement action for this year's summer fishing ban.

Focusing on the central tasks of the Party and the country, China's diplomacy stands firm on the right side of history, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference in Beijing on Sunday.

Wang answered questions of journalists from home and abroad on China's foreign policy and external relations at the press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC).

"In today's world, changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace, transformation and turbulence are intertwined, and wars and conflicts keep flaring up. In today's China, we are forging ahead at full speed in building a great country, our national rejuvenation is unstoppable, and our country's international influence is rising steadily. Under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, focusing on the central tasks of the Party and the country, and following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, China's diplomacy firmly safeguards state sovereignty, security and development interests, firmly upholds international rule of law and fairness and justice, firmly opposes all unilateral acts, power politics and bullying, firmly observes and fulfills our international obligations, and firmly stands on the right side of the history," he said in his opening remarks.

"As the world's most important force for peace, for stability and for justice, we have full confidence in the future of humanity. We stand ready to work with all like-minded countries to pursue the noble goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity and write new chapters of peace, development and win-win cooperation for our times," Wang said.