Fishing pressure can become a long-term economic lever

Could China's distant-water fishing weaken other economies as part of a longer-term strategy?

Possibly, although intent is unproven; depleted fisheries can damage food supply and maritime employment, and China's leadership can plan over a longer horizon.

There is no evidence here that China's distant-water fleet is deliberately destroying fisheries to force future deals. The strategic possibility remains credible because depleted stocks can remove food, employment, tax revenue, and demand for local shipyards at the same time. An authoritarian leadership expecting to remain in power can plan across decades instead of around the next election. That longer horizon makes indirect economic pressure easier to sustain even when its benefits are delayed. The intent remains speculative, while the strategic effects of large-scale fishing pressure are real.