South China Sea fisheries deal needed

MARITIME or fishery cooperation between the Philippines and China will allow both countries to harness resources in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), analysts said, but reaching a deal remains tricky given longstanding territorial claims.

In a paper on Philippine policies and practices, political scientist Rommel Banlaoi said that "littoral states can learn many lessons from the Philippines to promote joint fishery management cooperation" in the South China Sea (SCS), the disputed parts of which the country calls the WPS.