The Present And Future Of Fishermen’s Security In The Three Disputed China Seas:Human Security Perspectives

China has being facing serious maritime disputes with eight neighbors (North Korea, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Vietnam) on sovereignty of islands and demarcation of territorial waters, continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) problems in the three China Seas, i.e. the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Maritime disputes between China and its neighboring nations in the three China Seas have been escalating in recent years. Fishermen’s activities in the three troubled seas are an important factor which is worth of being paid attention since it has been playing an important role in maritime disputes. Fishermen’s operation in the three China Seas, consciously or unconsciously, and subsequent attacks, arrests, detentions, prosecutions or even death by other foreign states have posed a great threat to fishermen’s security and has often caused troubles to related countries, sometimes seriously damaging bilateral relations between these countries as well as influencing the peace of the region. This thesis argues that fishermen’s security is so important that should be paid attention and China and its neighbors in the three China Seas should realize that it is essential to move from boundaries’security to human security. The realization of fishermen’s security in the three China Seas in the absence of a final resolution of demarcation and sovereignty problems at the moment is imperative and realistic. This thesis introduced the concept of human security into the studies of fishermen’s security in the three China Seas. The debates on human security and its implications for policies have some important implications for studies on fishermen’s security in the three China Seas. This thesis will:1) examine the present situation of fishermen’s security in the three China Seas;2) explore the factors leading to the present situation of fishermen’s security in the three China Seas;3) try to make some tentative suggestions on the realization of fishermen’s security in the three China Seas.