The issue of illegal immigration and fishing rights has deepened the rift between France and Britain

British Prime Minister Johnson recently sent a letter to French President Macron on the issue of illegal immigration, the British side also published the letter on social media, Macron said on the 26th local time, the British side of the move "imprudent"; on the 26th, French fishermen on the British refused to issue fishing permits to French fishing boats in the French port protested, intercepted a British cargo ship and briefly blocked the English Channel tunnel. The smuggling of illegal immigrants and the problem of fishing rights have followed, deepening the rift between France and Britain.

Johnson sent a letter to Macron on the 25th, on the issue of curbing the smuggling of illegal immigrants in the English Channel, suggesting that France receive all illegal immigrants entering the United Kingdom from France. The British side also posted the letter on social media Twitter.

Macron told the media during his visit to Italy on the 26th that britain's move was "very imprudent and surprising" and that communication between leaders on illegal immigration should not be carried out in the form of social media posts or published letters.

French government spokesman Atal told the media that Johnson's letter was tedious, anachronistic and ignored efforts by French coast guards and maritime rescue departments to intercept illegal immigrants.

The spokesman of the British Prime Minister's Office responded on the 26th that the British and French have communicated many times on the issue of illegal immigration smuggling, and the British side published the letter on social media this time in the hope of helping the public understand that the two governments are trying to solve the problem, and the United Kingdom hopes to continue to deepen cooperation with France.

The Home Office also said it arrived in Paris that evening in the hope of continuing negotiations with their French counterparts over the smuggling of illegal immigrants.

The French side has always criticized the imperfect immigration system of the British side, which makes a large number of immigrants try to enter the British labor market through illegal channels; the British side accuses the French side of failing to intercept illegal immigrants.

More than 23,000 illegal migrants have smuggled into the UK in small boats this year, up from just 8,500 last year, according to British figures. After the UK leaves the EU, it is no longer possible to repatriate illegal migrants to the first EU country they have arrived in accordance with EU regulations.

In order to protest Britain's refusal to issue fishing permits to French fishing boats, some French fishermen held protests in the port of Saint-Malo and the port of Calais in France on the 26th, and blocked some ports and tunnels in the English Channel. During the protests, a British cargo ship was intercepted by more than a dozen French fishing boats as it arrived at the port of Saint-Malo. All blockade operations ended that afternoon.

Johnson spokesman said on the 26th that the UK's position on the issuance of fishing licenses has not changed, and London is paying close attention to the protests of French fishermen. The British side expects the French authorities to guarantee the free flow of transport and trade.

Under the relevant post-Brexit trade agreement that came into effect on January 1 this year, fishermen in EU countries can now obtain fishing permits and enter British waters to fish. However, the local government of British Jersey introduced a new fishing permit system in April, requiring French fishing vessels to submit documents proving that they had previously fished in British waters. The French government pointed out that the British side delayed the approval or rejected the application of a large number of French fishing vessels to fish, and found that the British side's practice violated the relevant trade agreements related to "Brexit". The British government denies this claim by the French side.

Source: CCTV News Client