Fishing Fleets Take Chances In Disputed South China Sea Waters

MARIVELES, PHILIPPINES - MAY 18: Filipino fishermen prepare their boat to sail to the West Philippine Sea despite harassment by Chinese militia and coast guard in the disputed waters on May 18, 2021 in Mariveles, Bataan, west of Luzon in the Philippines. Local fishermen bewail the Philippines lackluster stance on its claim of the West Philippine Sea waters against China's incursion, and are continuing to fish as long as they legally can. Fishermen also expressed disappointed at a recent remark by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, that retaking of West Philippine Sea was never his campaign promise. Prior to Duterte's presidency, the Philippines won a landmark arbitral case against China in 2016, which invalidated the the latter's claims in the South China Sea including islands and shoals within the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. (Photo by Jes Aznar/Getty Images)