What Happens When You Let the PRC Get Away with the South China Sea Grabs

just the tip

One thing I brought up on last night’s UNCLAS Read Board was what looked like another probe by bayonet by the People’s Republic of China when it comes to contested and open seas.

This time it isn’t the South China Sea, nor the West Philippine Sea, but the Yellow Sea.

As reported by Ryan Chan over at Newsweek:

China declared three zones banning the entry of ships within the Yellow Sea's Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ), an area established under a 2000 agreement where the Chinese and South Korean Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) overlap.

These Chinese "no-sail zones" have been in effect since Thursday and are scheduled to end on Tuesday. Two were designated for military exercises, while no reason was assigned for the third—located entirely in South Korea's EEZ—although ships were still prohibited from entering it.

This comes as China has installed three structures in the PMZ, which South Korea fears could mark the beginning of Chinese territorial expansion. Beijing is also being accused of "militarizing" the Yellow Sea by maintaining a persistent naval presence there.

…

Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, previously said in translated comments provided by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "I would like to point out that what China set up in the provisional measures zone (PMZ) are the aquaculture facilities. And relevant activities of China are consistent with China's domestic law and international law."

“Aquaculture.”

I don’t think this would be much of a concern if the PRC had a history of being a good-faith and trustworthy partner on the ocean, but she doesn’t. Just the opposite.

Bit by bit. Bite by bite.

Probe by aquaculture.