Chinese fishermen detained for entering Russian waters

Two Chinese vessels were detained on Monday by Russian authorities for entering its economic zone in the eastern Primorsky area and poaching fish in Russian waters, Financial Times reported, citing state media. The chase is said to have lasted three hours, during which the Russian Coast Guard fired at the Chinese fishing vessels, resulting in one fisherman falling overboard and currently missing, the Russian Coast Guard said. The other 36 fishermen are being detained by Russian authorities. The two vessels came from Weihai, a city in China’s eastern Shandong province, according to state media. Senior Chinese officials were quick to disavow conciliatory remarks on the affair from the Chinese consular office in Russia’s Khabarovsk, which may indicate that Beijing is taking the situation seriously.