US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on Thursday said reports of over 300 Chinese vessels near the Galapagos Islands disabling tracking systems are 'deeply troubling'.
"Reports of 300+ Chinese vessels near the Galapagos disabling tracking systems, changing ship names, and leaving marine debris are deeply troubling. We again call on the PRC to be transparent and enforce its own zero-tolerance policy on illegal fishing," Pompeo said in a tweet.
Pompeo made the comments re-tweeting one of his tweets from August 2, wherein he had said it is time for China to stop its unsuitable fishing practices.
"It is time for China to stop its unsustainable fishing practices, rule-breaking, and willful environmental degradation of the oceans. We stand with Ecuador and call on Beijing to stop engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing," Pompeo had said in his tweet.
According to a Sputnik report, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said in the beginning of August that China has agreed to observe a temporary fishing moratorium off the coast of the Galapagos Islands.
Foreign Minister Luis Gallegos had warned in late July that Ecuador was ready to take action to protect the country's marine rights following media reports that several Chinese vessels were spotted off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, the report said.
Relations between the US and China have worsened in recent times with the two countries sparring over a range of issues including Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor