South China Morning Post
09 January 2021
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- US-China ‘Grey Zone’ Rivalry in South China Sea May Be About To Intensify
US-China ‘Grey Zone’ Rivalry in South China Sea May Be About To Intensify
The United States has announced a strategy to integrate its maritime forces, including its coastguard, to counter China’s growing presence in the contested South China Sea. The latest tri-service maritime strategy was the first since 2015, and came at a time when China and the US have been ramping up “grey zone” activities to project power below a threshold that could prompt a conventional military response. Little information was given on how exactly the coastguard would play a role in the South China Sea, but the US Coast Guard has a long history of involvement in US theatre security engagement in the region, such as taking part in training exercises between the US Pacific Fleet and Southeast Asian nations, said Dr Collin Koh, a Research Fellow at Singapore’s RSIS. “This new tri-service maritime strategy essentially enshrines the pre-existing habits of cooperation and coordination, and serves as a guiding framework on how these US maritime forces work together and pool their strengths to counter China’s maritime activities.” he said.
IDSS / Online / Print
Last updated on 06/05/2021
