Coastguard here to help, US says to South China Sea nations

The head of the United States Coast Guard’s Pacific operations has promoted its activities thousands of miles from American shores, in response to China’s increasing assertions of territorial claims in the region.

A presence in the South China Sea and elsewhere would help enforce the sovereignty of partner nations in the disputed waters, the US coastguard’s Pacific area commander Vice-Admiral Linda Fagan told a conference call.

Coastguard cutters USCGC Bertholf and USCGC Stratton are being deployed with the Seventh Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan, and would help “law enforcement and capacity-building in the fisheries enforcement realm”, Fagan said.

The move comes amid complaints from Asian nations about Chinese efforts to assert territorial claims in the East and South China seas. Besides a growing navy, China has centralised military control over its 200-ship China Coast Guard, equipped the force with larger ships and deputised civilian vessels to help in the operations.

The resource-stretched US Navy has already put the American coastguard vessels to work, with the Bertholf joining a transit through the Taiwan Strait in March. Last month, the US coastguard staged a joint exercise with two Philippine vessels in Chinese-claimed waters, reportedly sailing past two Chinese ships in the process.

It was the first visit by the US coastguard in seven years, Fagan said, adding the return to engagement was in line with prior actions and consistent with international law. “It is a recognised international strait and our ships sail through there,” Fagan said.

China asserts control over more than 80 per cent of the South China Sea, a key shipping route also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

This is the time of year when China enforces a fishing plan off its shores, often resulting in confrontations between its coastguard and foreign fishing fleets. Vietnam and the Philippines have repeatedly complained of harassment from Chinese coastguard vessels, while Philippine officials have reported increased sightings of Chinese militia off the country’s coasts.

On Monday, two Chinese coastguard vessels and two other militia boats were spotted circling the disputed Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said in statement.

The United States Coast Guard was seeking to support Pacific partners in the region, Fagan said. “We are very much interested in engaging with partner nations in using our authorities and capacity building in a way that is helpful,” she said.