ARGENTINA SINKS CHINESE FISHING BOAT

[WORLD NEWS ★★]

ARGENTINA SINKS CHINESE FISHING BOAT

(P1) Argentina’s COAST GUARD chased and sank a Chinese boat that it says was fishing illegally in Argentine waters.

(P2) The coast guard said one of its ships had fired WARNING SHOTS at the boat, called the Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010.

(P3) The coast guard said it had first tried to raise a RESPONSE by radio. All 32 CREW members were rescued, it said.

(P4) China has expressed “serious concern” over the sinking.

(P5) Chinese spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement that the Chinese government had made URGENT communications to Argentina, demanding a thorough investigation.

(P6) Illegal fishing is a common problem in the South Atlantic.

(P7) “The boat was HAILED over radio, and both visual and audio signals were sent to make contact. However, the boat turned off its fishing lights and FLED towards INTERNATIONAL WATERS without responding to repeated calls over various FREQUENCIES,” the coast guard statement said.

(P8) “On several occasions, the Chinese boat performed MANEUVERS designed to force a COLLISION with the coast guard, putting at risk both its own crew and coast guard PERSONNEL, who were then ordered to shoot at the fishing boat.”

(P9) China is the world’s largest market for SEAFOOD and has the biggest long-distance fishing FLEET, currently more than 2,000 boats.

(P10) In 2012, Argentina captured two Chinese boats that had been fishing illegally for squid in its EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. Warning shots were fired.

(P11) The latest incident comes despite Argentina’s relations with China growing closer in recent years.

WORDS: 245

SOURCE: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35815444

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.

1. Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
2. Do you think that Argentina was JUSTIFIED in sinking the Chinese fishing boat?
3. Why didn’t the Chinese boat respond to communications from the Argentine coast guard ship?
4. Why do nations have an exclusive economic zone extending from their coasts?
5. What is your favorite kind of seafood?

EXPRESSIONS TO PRACTICE:

What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.

• Coast guard
• Warning shot
• International waters
• Exclusive economic zone