https://www.scmp.com/rss/519820/feed Latest news and updates on China’s coastguard. The paramilitary force, which is used mainly for search and rescue and other maritime policing functions, has been on the front line of tensions in the East and South China seas. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels. The headquarters of a newly established coastguard district, formerly overseen from neighbouring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles). A journalist travelling to the new command centre on Thitu Island, known as Pagasa in the Philippines,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:25:53 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei A Lunar New Year post from the Chinese coastguard on Wednesday provided a rare glimpse at how aerial drones have become essential to daily training and operations near a hotly contested South China Sea reef. The social media post was meant to show officers on the coastguard vessel Wanshan, or China Coast Guard 3301, guarding the disputed Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China, during the Lunar New Year holiday. But the details of their daily training revealed how aerial drones and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343934/chinese-coastguard-reveals-growing-reliance-drones-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:15:51 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi Last month, in the same week that Chinese and Philippine diplomats restarted political dialogue for the first time in over a year, the People’s Liberation Army bombers conducted combat patrols over Scarborough Shoal. China then released a video marking the fifth anniversary of its coastguard law, emphasising the force’s legal mandate and role in maritime governance. It also features footage of the June 2024 confrontation with the Philippines. In the South China Sea, conference rooms and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343423/can-manilas-south-china-sea-strategy-defiance-and-diplomacy-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343423/can-manilas-south-china-sea-strategy-defiance-and-diplomacy-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao The Chinese navy and coastguard said on Friday that they rescued 17 Filipino crew members from a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship that had capsized near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. According to the China Coast Guard (CCG), the Maritime Search and Rescue Centre in Sansha, Hainan province, received a distress report at around 1.30am on Friday. The vessel appeared to be in trouble about 55 nautical miles northwest of Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China. The centre sent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340950/chinese-coastguard-rescues-filipino-sailors-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340950/chinese-coastguard-rescues-filipino-sailors-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:44:46 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has expressed confidence in countering China’s widening influence in contested waters as its navy presses ahead with expanding its fleet, joint activities with foreign partners and the use of unmanned systems. Analysts say these measures would boost the interoperability of the Philippine military across the sea and air, as the South China Sea dispute continues to dominate its security planning. “We are up to the challenge [posed by] … the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Beijing has accused Manila of organising a “premeditated” provocation and dangerous manoeuvres near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, and Washington of making false statements that have escalated tensions in the region. Manila said Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal had been targeted with water cannons by Chinese coastguard ships in an incident on Friday, while Beijing said Philippine personnel had threatened Chinese officers with knives. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:14:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi A report by a Washington-based think tank has revealed a tense 15-hour stand-off last month between China’s coastguard and South Korean vessels in a contested area of the Yellow Sea. The confrontation took place in the disputed Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) after a South Korean research vessel, the Onnuri, approached facilities that Beijing has claimed are used for aquaculture, according to a report posted on Monday to the website Beyond Parallel, operated under the Centre for Strategic and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330644/china-south-korean-vessels-15-hour-yellow-sea-stand-last-month-report-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330644/china-south-korean-vessels-15-hour-yellow-sea-stand-last-month-report-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The Chinese coastguard patrolled around disputed sites controlled by Vietnam in the South China Sea last week, vessel tracking information shows. Three patrol ships left a Chinese base on Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands on Thursday and circled around a series of land features – some of which Vietnam has built facilities on – before returning to the reef on Saturday, according to Automatic Identification System data. The purpose of the patrol by the coastguard vessels – identified by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329731/chinese-coastguard-patrols-disputed-reefs-controlled-vietnam-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329731/chinese-coastguard-patrols-disputed-reefs-controlled-vietnam-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 02:17:31 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Manila and Beijing are working on a coastguard cooperation pact as part of efforts to manage recurring flashpoints in the disputed South China Sea, but observers say the step may not be enough to prevent conflict or build lasting trust. Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro told the Senate on Tuesday last week that the proposed plan aimed to “reach a conclusion … an MOU for them [coastguards] on certain issues that involve both sides”. Lazaro said she hoped that the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329567/philippines-beijing-eye-coastguard-deal-calm-south-china-sea-tensions-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3329567/philippines-beijing-eye-coastguard-deal-calm-south-china-sea-tensions-will-it-work?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:13 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines has taken delivery of its most modern warship yet, marking a milestone in efforts to strengthen its maritime defences in the South China Sea. The arrival of the BRP Diego Silang, a 3,200-tonne guided-missile frigate built in South Korea, offers the promise of greater surveillance and deterrence – even as analysts say the Philippines continues to lag behind its regional peers. At a ceremony held on Monday in a naval base in Subic Bay, Philippine military chief General Romeo... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325689/philippines-new-warship-aims-boost-its-south-china-sea-defences-it-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325689/philippines-new-warship-aims-boost-its-south-china-sea-defences-it-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has warned China that any attempt to board or tow away its grounded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal would be crossing a “red line” after Manila detected a sharp rise in Chinese maritime activity around the disputed feature in the South China Sea. Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesman for West Philippine Sea operations, told reporters on Tuesday that the military was closely monitoring a surge in Chinese maritime activity near the shoal, including the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323393/philippines-warns-china-not-cross-red-line-over-grounded-warship-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323393/philippines-warns-china-not-cross-red-line-over-grounded-warship-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:55:40 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China says it has taken “control measures” against two Philippine vessels near the Sierra Madre, a warship grounded on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, as tensions re-emerge in the contested waters of the South China Sea. In a short statement on Friday morning, China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu accused the two Philippine ships deployed from the Sierra Madre of “deliberately engaging in provocative collisions” when approaching a Chinese coastguard vessel. He did not specify when the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322763/south-china-sea-beijing-asserts-control-measures-against-philippine-ships-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322763/south-china-sea-beijing-asserts-control-measures-against-philippine-ships-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:51:21 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Maritime tensions between the Philippines and China have entered what analysts describe as a risky and potentially volatile phase after an accidental collision between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal, one of the most contested features in the South China Sea. The rare mishap involving the vessels from the Chinese coastguard and navy during a high-speed chase of a Philippine coastguard ship has raised the risk of Beijing adopting a more aggressive posture as it seeks to save face,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322558/philippines-assures-china-restraint-after-ship-clashes-will-tensions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322558/philippines-assures-china-restraint-after-ship-clashes-will-tensions-ease?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:15:09 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Beijing on Friday issued its first direct comment on a reported collision in the South China Sea earlier this week, with its defence ministry strongly condemning the Philippine coastguard for “dangerous manoeuvring”. The Philippine vessels “severely jeopardised the safety of Chinese ship personnel”, ministry spokesman Jiang Bin said, referring to the confrontation near the disputed Scarborough Shoal on Monday. Several Philippine coastguard vessels and government ships had “illegally entered... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322037/first-comment-south-china-sea-crash-beijing-slams-dangerous-moves-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322037/first-comment-south-china-sea-crash-beijing-slams-dangerous-moves-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:43:06 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China has extended its maritime presence to rarely patrolled waters, with two Chinese coastguard vessels spotted near the northernmost province of the Philippines last week, close to Taiwan. The Philippine Navy on Monday said the Chinese ships were seen “meandering” in waters off Batanes on August 7, Philippine media reported. Batanes is an archipelago located closer to southern Taiwan than to Manila and sits within the Bashi Channel – a critical maritime chokepoint that would have strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321943/beijing-seeks-deter-it-expands-presence-waters-near-philippines-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321943/beijing-seeks-deter-it-expands-presence-waters-near-philippines-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang China may seek better coordination between its navy and coastguards and improve the quality of its coastguard ships after this week’s dramatic collision in the South China Sea, according to analysts. Footage of the incident released by the Philippines appeared to show that the Chinese coastguard ship 3104 sustained serious damage to its bow after colliding with a larger destroyer, the Guilin. “I don’t think it’s good to sit still and just get on with business as usual after the collision,” said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321909/how-south-china-sea-collision-may-prompt-beijing-rethink-coastguard-and-navy-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321909/how-south-china-sea-collision-may-prompt-beijing-rethink-coastguard-and-navy-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:30:33 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen More tension is expected in the South China Sea following a collision between two Chinese vessels, with analysts predicting the incident was likely to prompt Beijing to further increase its presence in the contested waterway. Experts also warned that the incident could push China to enhance coordination between its navy and coastguard to prevent similar accidents in future. On Monday, Manila claimed that a China Coast Guard vessel sustained severe damage to its bow after colliding with a larger... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321617/collision-between-chinese-ships-expected-escalate-tension-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China has for the first time released a video showing its coastguard towing away a Philippine ship in the South China Sea, using its strongest language yet to describe such confrontations with Manila in the disputed waters. In the video released by state broadcaster CCTV on Friday morning, the Chinese coastguard documented a tense six-minute confrontation at Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Renai Jiao. The incident ended with the “infringing vessel being towed away”, according to the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320425/chinas-coastguard-tows-philippine-ship-after-tense-maritime-clash-new-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320425/chinas-coastguard-tows-philippine-ship-after-tense-maritime-clash-new-video?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:22:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan has spotted Chinese vessels sailing near disputed islets in the East China Sea for a record 216 consecutive days, according to Tokyo’s coastguard. The Tokyo-administered islets, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and Senkakus in Japan, have long been a sore point between the neighbours. On Sunday, Japan said it observed four Chinese coastguard vessels sailing in the “contiguous” zone, referring to a 12-nautical-mile (22km) band that extends beyond Japan’s territorial waters. Last year,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3315444/japan-flags-216-days-chinese-intrusions-near-east-china-sea-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3315444/japan-flags-216-days-chinese-intrusions-near-east-china-sea-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 04:29:48 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China and Japan have traded barbs after a plane allegedly piloted by extreme Japanese nationalists flew over a disputed island in the East China Sea – a long-running source of tension between the two countries. The Chinese coastguard said a routine patrol had spotted a Japanese civilian plane flying “illegally” over the airspace of an unnamed island in the Diaoyu chain, known as the Senkakus in Japan, on Saturday morning. It added that the aircraft left the area five minutes later, and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3309011/china-and-japans-diaoyu-islands-dispute-flares-again-over-intrusions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3309011/china-and-japans-diaoyu-islands-dispute-flares-again-over-intrusions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 06:23:59 +0000 The China Coast Guard (CCG) landed on a disputed reef in the South China Sea earlier this month to assert sovereignty over the island that the Philippines also claims, Chinese media reported on Thursday. According to the state-run Global Times, photographs show CCG officers unfurling a Chinese flag on an uninhabited sand bank, identified as Sandy Cay, also known as Tiexian Jiao in China and Pagasa Cay 2 in the Philippines. “In mid-April this year, the China Coast Guard exercised sovereign... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3307831/china-coastguard-claims-sovereign-jurisdiction-sandy-cay-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3307831/china-coastguard-claims-sovereign-jurisdiction-sandy-cay-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:31:51 +0000 China said its coastguard expelled four Japanese fishing vessels from waters near the disputed Diaoyu Islands over the weekend, after Tokyo accused Beijing of escalating tensions in the East China Sea. According to coastguard spokesman Liu Dejun, the Chinese ships took “necessary control measures” and issued warnings to drive the Japanese boats away between March 21 and 24 after they entered what China considers to be its territorial waters. He did not elaborate on the specific actions taken... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3303764/china-coastguard-drives-japanese-fishing-boats-escalating-island-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3303764/china-coastguard-drives-japanese-fishing-boats-escalating-island-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:00:07 +0000 Details have emerged about an apparent two-hour stand-off between South Korean and Chinese coastguard vessels last month, which began when South Korea attempted to investigate a steel structure in the Yellow Sea, media in Seoul reported on Tuesday. According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing South Korean diplomatic sources, the confrontation played out on the afternoon of February 26 in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ) near Socotra Rock, southwest of South Korea’s Jeju Island. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3302876/yellow-sea-stand-over-steel-structure-raises-china-south-korea-tensions-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3302876/yellow-sea-stand-over-steel-structure-raises-china-south-korea-tensions-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:08:45 +0000 A model of China’s advanced Z-20 helicopter has been spotted on a coastguard frigate – suggesting the multirole aircraft could be ready to join the paramilitary force. Photos circulating on Chinese social media platform Weibo over the past week showed a model of the 10-tonne helicopter sitting on the flight deck of a docked Type 054 China Coast Guard (CCG) frigate. Cranes in the dockyard bore the acronym for Guangzhou-based Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company, a subsidiary of state-owned China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3291845/chinas-advanced-z-20-helicopter-model-spotted-coastguard-ship-second-navy-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3291845/chinas-advanced-z-20-helicopter-model-spotted-coastguard-ship-second-navy-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Dec 2024 11:23:38 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/series/3290771/mainland-chinas-taiwan-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/series/3290771/mainland-chinas-taiwan-military-presence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:29:46 +0000 In the final instalment of a three-part series examining mainland China’s increasing military presence around Taiwan, Hayley Wong explores the role the coastguard is playing in ramping up the pressure on Taipei and what it might do in the event of an all-out assault. Most of the international attention China’s coastguard has attracted in recent months has focused on its role in the South China Sea, but the force also plays a major role in pressurising Taiwan. The coastguard is central to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3290730/why-mainland-chinas-second-navy-becoming-increasingly-active-around-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3290730/why-mainland-chinas-second-navy-becoming-increasingly-active-around-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:00:22 +0000 US personnel have been spotted training an elite coastguard squad in southern Taiwan, as the two sides step up cooperation to counter mounting pressure on the island from mainland China. United Daily News (UDN) reported on Wednesday that US personnel helped the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration’s Special Task Unit (STU) simulate a boarding exercise off the port city of Kaohsiung. The report was based on sightings and information from military enthusiasts, with one photo showing three US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289547/us-personnel-seen-training-elite-taiwanese-coastguard-unit-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289547/us-personnel-seen-training-elite-taiwanese-coastguard-unit-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:00:08 +0000 The US has pledged to deepen its cooperation with long-time ally the Philippines by committing US$8 million in funding to help modernise its coastguard as China’s rival maritime claims with the island nation press on. The funding will be used to support the Philippine coastguard’s “infrastructure enhancements, training programme development and resource acquisition and management planning”, the US embassy in Manila said in a statement on Monday. Without mentioning China by name, the countries at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284227/us-pledges-millions-modernise-philippine-coastguard-over-shared-maritime-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3284227/us-pledges-millions-modernise-philippine-coastguard-over-shared-maritime-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:20:32 +0000 The US coastguard has pledged to prioritise operations in both the Indo-Pacific region and Arctic Ocean amid challenges posed by China and Russia in the vital passageways, according to its newest operational posture statement. “The Indo-Pacific is a top regional priority given its geostrategic importance, criticality to global trade and the threat contesting a free, open and rules-based maritime commons,” according to the statement released on Friday. American efforts include continued support... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3283956/us-coastguard-eyes-china-russia-making-indo-pacific-top-regional-priority?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3283956/us-coastguard-eyes-china-russia-making-indo-pacific-top-regional-priority?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:50:59 +0000 The Chinese and Russian coastguards have pledged to coordinate more on “far seas” following their joint patrols in the Arctic and northern Pacific oceans last month. Meeting in Beijing on Monday, Chinese coastguard chief Major General Yu Zhong and Admiral Roman Tolok, head of Russia’s coastguard, called for deeper “pragmatic maritime cooperation”, according to a readout posted on the Chinese coastguard’s social media account on Thursday. They also vowed to improve “joint long-distance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3283880/chinese-and-russian-coastguard-chiefs-call-more-cooperation-far-seas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3283880/chinese-and-russian-coastguard-chiefs-call-more-cooperation-far-seas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 09:18:08 +0000 China’s coastguard says it warned a Japanese fishing boat to leave its territorial waters near the disputed Diaoyu Islands, the latest confrontation in the area. The tiny, uninhabited islands in the East China Sea are claimed by both China and Japan, where they are known as the Senkakus. On Thursday, Chinese coastguard spokesman Liu Dejun said the Japanese vessel had “illegally entered” China’s territorial waters around the islands on Tuesday and Wednesday. Liu identified the vessel as the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282726/china-says-it-drove-away-japanese-fishing-boat-waters-near-disputed-diaoyu-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282726/china-says-it-drove-away-japanese-fishing-boat-waters-near-disputed-diaoyu-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:40:04 +0000 The China Coast Guard’s first entry into the Arctic Sea during joint operations with its Russian counterpart showed an ability to operate far from its coast and a heightened level of cooperation with Moscow, analysts said. The vessels’ entry into the sea on Tuesday coincided with the National Day holiday marking the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. China’s state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday released photos and footage of the exercise. Four ships – including the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3281228/what-does-chinas-first-arctic-coastguard-patrol-russia-reveal-about-its-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3281228/what-does-chinas-first-arctic-coastguard-patrol-russia-reveal-about-its-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2024 04:00:16 +0000 China and Russia signalled their closer ties and interest in Arctic shipping routes with their first joint coastguard exercise and patrol earlier this month, observers said. The China Coast Guard said its vessels, the Meishan and Xiushan, sailed to the Peter the Great Gulf in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, for the drill from September 16-20. China said the exercise tested personnel on dealing with maritime law enforcement security threats, interception of suspected criminal ships, sea rescue,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3280601/china-and-russia-team-arctic-coastguard-mission-new-shipping-routes-horizon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3280601/china-and-russia-team-arctic-coastguard-mission-new-shipping-routes-horizon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:02:07 +0000 Chinese analysts have said the risk of conflict in the South China Sea is low despite the warning by the Philippine defence minister that it would be an “act of war” if Beijing removed a ship moored at a disputed atoll. Gilberto Teodoro Jnr told CBS that “if China were to take the Sierra Madre, that is a clear act of war on the Philippine vessel”, adding that in such an event, the United States would be expected to step in to help its ally. The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era warship, was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279190/why-latest-philippine-warning-south-china-sea-war-may-not-be-cause-serious-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3279190/why-latest-philippine-warning-south-china-sea-war-may-not-be-cause-serious-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:50:36 +0000 China is building a coastguard vessel based on an advanced destroyer and equipped with hi-tech surveillance equipment, according to media reports. The ship is expected to be used in the East and South China Seas, where the country is embroiled in a series of long-running territorial disputes, most notably with the Philippines. In June satellite images captured the ship at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard and on Monday the local media outlet Guancha.cn reported that it had already been painted with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3274494/chinese-coastguard-set-get-new-ship-modelled-advanced-type-052d-destroyer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3274494/chinese-coastguard-set-get-new-ship-modelled-advanced-type-052d-destroyer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 14:00:08 +0000 As the risk of maritime conflict rises, China’s coastguard could be looking to update its fleet to operate far from shore with the emergence of a newly designed law enforcement mothership. The vessel was one of a number of new coastguard ships “recently” on show in Ningbo, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, alongside various underwater drones and uncrewed boats. The new equipment was designed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China, which is affiliated with state-owned... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3274081/chinas-coastguard-about-go-big-offshore-new-ocean-going-mothership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3274081/chinas-coastguard-about-go-big-offshore-new-ocean-going-mothership?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Aug 2024 01:00:16 +0000 Tensions are mounting in the South China Sea – a hotly contested and globally significant waterway that’s become a flashpoint for conflict. In the second instalment of a four-part series we look at whether the Chinese coastguard can maintain pressure on multiple fronts. China’s coastguard has found itself embroiled in a series of intense confrontations in three major hotspots – with tensions simultaneously coming to a head in a two-week period in late June. In one of the most dramatic incidents,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3272448/chinas-coastguard-faces-unprecedented-strain-tensions-rise-3-fronts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3272448/chinas-coastguard-faces-unprecedented-strain-tensions-rise-3-fronts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 22:00:09 +0000 At least two troops stationed on a grounded Philippine warship on a disputed reef in the South China Sea pointed guns at a Chinese coastguard patrol last month, according to state broadcaster CCTV. A post on CCTV’s Frontline social media account on Sunday said the incident took place near the Second Thomas Shoal, which has been at the centre of numerous confrontations in recent months. The post said that on May 19, Manila conducted an airdrop of supplies to the “illegally grounded” Sierra Madre... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265091/chinese-state-media-says-philippine-troops-pointed-guns-coastguards-near-disputed-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3265091/chinese-state-media-says-philippine-troops-pointed-guns-coastguards-near-disputed-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:30:37 +0000 Beijing is continuing to carry out “regular patrols” in the waters near a Taiwanese-held island off the coast of mainland China ahead of president-elect William Lai Ching-te’s inauguration later this month. Mainland China’s coastguard said units based in Fujian, the province nearest Taiwan, had carried out a “regular law enforcement” patrol in the waters near Quemoy, which is also called Kinmen, on Friday. Taiwan postpones Quemoy live-fire drills after Beijing warns against ‘rash’ act It was the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3261388/mainland-chinese-coastguard-keeps-pressure-taiwan-latest-regular-patrol-near-quemoy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3261388/mainland-chinese-coastguard-keeps-pressure-taiwan-latest-regular-patrol-near-quemoy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 13:00:16 +0000 The PLA naval division in charge of the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea conducted a rare joint exercise with a regional coastguard unit, the navy said on Monday, without saying when or where it took place. The exercise simulated a joint air and sea response to an enemy missile attack on a frigate flotilla from the Eastern Theatre Command. The participants also practised countering “violent resistance” to law enforcement activities. The “interdisciplinary and overnight” drill was aimed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255847/chinese-navy-teams-coastguard-rare-joint-missile-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255847/chinese-navy-teams-coastguard-rare-joint-missile-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Mar 2024 01:00:25 +0000