Fishing resumes in Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea as China lifts seasonal ban

China's annual summer fishing ban officially ended at noon Monday in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, north of 35 degrees latitude, marking the start of a new season for thousands of coastal communities.

More than 30,000 fishing vessels set sail from ports across Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, and Shandong, resuming operations after a four-month moratorium aimed at protecting marine ecosystems.

The nationwide ban, which began May 1 and runs through September 16 in some regions, spans the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and parts of the South China Sea north of 12 degrees latitude. It is part of China's long-term strategy to support the natural regeneration of fishery resources and promote sustainable development in the sector.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he will raise tariffs on certain goods from the Republic of Korea (ROK) from 15 percent to 25 percent, accusing ROK's legislature of not having enacted a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.

"Because the Korean Legislature hasn't enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15 percent to 25 percent," he said on social media.

"South Korea's Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States," Trump said. "President Lee and I reached a Great Deal for both Countries on July 30, 2025, and we reaffirmed these terms while I was in Korea on October 29, 2025."

According to the agreement finalized by Trump and ROK's President Lee Jae Myung in October 2025, the United States would impose blanket tariffs of 15 percent on imports from ROK, 10 percentage points lower than the level Trump had threatened. In return, ROK agreed to invest 350 billion U.S. dollars in the United States.

ROK is an important trading partner for the United States, which imported over 100 billion dollars' worth of goods from ROK in the past few years.

ROK's presidential office said that it has received no official notification from the U.S. about the latest tariff hike, and that the country's trade minister will visit the United States to discuss the matter.