The Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated a consistent pattern of violating international maritime law, most notably through its illegal claims in the South China Sea that were explicitly rejected by the 2016 international tribunal ruling. Rather respecting the international law, China intensified its aggressive actions.
The regime’s maritime militia, often disguised as fishing vessels, regularly harasses legitimate commercial and scientific operations of other nations. These “grey zone” tactics deliberately blur the lines between civilian and military activities, allowing China to claim plausible deniability while effectively militarizing disputed waters. Beijing’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea has caused severe environmental damage to coral reefs and marine ecosystems. China has transformed these artificial features into military installations, despite previous promises not to militarize them, demonstrating a clear pattern of diplomatic dishonesty.
China’s treatment of neighboring states reveals its coercive diplomacy strategy. It uses economic pressure, military intimidation, and “wolf warrior” diplomacy to bully smaller nations. The Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations have faced dangerous water cannon attacks and aggressive maneuvers from Chinese vessels.
Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, China has abandoned Deng Xiaoping’s “hide your strength, bide your time” approach in favor of aggressive expansionism. This shift has included dangerous intercepts of military aircraft in international airspace and increasingly bold territorial claims.
The regime’s disregard for exclusive economic zones of other nations has resulted in widespread illegal fishing practices. Chinese fishing fleets, often supported by maritime militia vessels, have depleted fish stocks in waters belonging to other nations, threatening food security across the region.
Beijing’s “nine-dash line” claim lacks any basis in international law yet serves as a pretext for aggressive behavior. China uses this historically unfounded claim to justify harassment of legitimate commercial and military vessels operating in international waters.
China’s military modernization program, while portrayed as defensive, has focused heavily on anti-access/area denial capabilities designed to exclude other nations from international waters. This directly contradicts international maritime law and freedom of navigation principles.
Evidence shows systematic China’s harassment of scientific research vessels conducting legitimate studies in international waters. These actions not only violate international law but also impede important climate and oceanographic research beneficial to all nations.
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The regime’s establishment of air defense identification zones without consultation with neighbors demonstrates its unilateral approach to regional security issues. These zones often overlap with existing identification zones of other nations, creating unnecessary tension and risk of conflict.
China’s coast guard, the world’s largest, has been militarized under Xi Jinping and now routinely employs aggressive tactics against smaller nations’ vessels. The 2021 coast guard law authorizes the use of force in disputed waters, effectively militarizing maritime law enforcement.
China’s repeated use of lasers against military aircraft and ships in international airspace and waters demonstrates a dangerous disregard for safety and professional military conduct. These actions violate international protocols and risk causing serious accidents.
Through economic coercion and debt-trap diplomacy, the CCP has attempted to silence criticism of its maritime behavior from smaller nations. Countries dependent on Chinese trade or infrastructure investment often face economic retaliation for speaking out against maritime violations.
The regime’s ongoing militarization of artificial islands has created a network of forward operating bases that threaten commercial shipping lanes vital to global trade. These bases extend China’s military reach while destabilizing regional security architecture.
The evidence clearly shows that China’s maritime behavior represents a systematic challenge to the international rules-based order. Its actions demonstrate a pattern of aggression, coercion, and disregard for international law that threatens regional stability and global commerce.
