4 b
Strategic Vision vol. 11, no. 54 (October, 2022)
Trilateral Measures Creative options called for to counter China’s rising threat to maritime East Asia Shao-cheng Sun
T
he People’s Republic of China (PRC) has increased its aggressive maritime activities in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait, posing a grave threat to the security of the entire region. In the East China Sea, Chinese vessels routinely patrol waters around Japan in an attempt by Beijing to project its naval presence out into the Pacific Ocean. Since 2012, Chinese Coast Guard vessels have operated almost daily near the Diaoyutai/Senkaku Islands, hoping their presence there will bolster Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over that island group. In the South China Sea, The PRC has advanced its territorial claims in the contested waters using vari-
ous hostile approaches, including building artificial islands, increasing maritime patrols, and deploying weaponry. Chinese fishing and coast guard vessels have constantly operated in the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia. In the Taiwan Strait, Chinese warships routinely conduct drills near the island in a clear attempt to intimidate Taiwan’s leaders. They also practice anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) tactics that would be employed to prevent US forces from coming to Taiwan’s defense. China’s military aggressions have made the use of force to achieve its goal of unification more likely. In the face of China’s maritime expansion, leaders
photo: Luke Moyer Then-Vice President Joe Biden meets with Capt. Greg Huffman on the bridge of USS John C. Stennis during the 2016 Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise.
Dr. Shao-cheng Sun is an assistant professor at The Citadel specializing in China’s security, East Asian affairs, and cross-strait relations. He can be reached for comment at ssun@citadel.edu