China steps up measures to combat illegal fishing, officially joins PSMA

China has officially joined the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA), signaling its commitment to combating illegal fishing and strengthening its role in global fisheries governance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Wednesday.

After years of preparation and review, the State Council ratified the agreement in January. Thirty days after China deposited its instrument of accession with the director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on March 17, the country formally became a party to the accord on Wednesday.

"This is a significant milestone for us," Liu Xinzhong, director of the ministry's bureau of fisheries, said at a press conference. "It marks China's concrete step toward actively fulfilling its duty as a port state and demonstrates China's confidence and resolve to resolutely combat illegal fishing."