US Coast Guard says boardings of Chinese fishing vessels in South Pacific legal

The recent assertions made by a Chinese diplomat claiming that the U.S. Coast Guard's collaborative efforts with local police in the Pacific Islands, specifically regarding the boarding of Chinese fishing vessels, are illegal have been rebuffed by the U.S. Coast Guard. They assert that these joint patrols are conducted in response to requests from Pacific nations to safeguard coastal fisheries. According to Reuters, last month's reports revealed that six Chinese fishing boats were found to be in violation of Vanuatu's fisheries regulations following inspections conducted by local police aboard the initial U.S. Coast Guard vessel to patrol the waters of the Pacific Islands nation.