An analysis in the Pacific Journal recommends Beijing strengthen inter-agency coordination and build credible deterrence to protect its maritime rights along the first island chain, which spans from the Kuril Islands to Borneo, including Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
Japan and China exchanged conflicting claims Tuesday after a maritime confrontation near disputed islands in the East China Sea. Japan's coast guard said it expelled two Chinese vessels that entered waters near the Senkaku Islands, while China's coast guard stated it warned off a Japanese fishing boat.
Japan and South Korea scrambled fighter jets in response to a joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and western Pacific, marking the 11th such patrol since 2019.
China's Ministry of Natural Resources conducted a marine survey in its jurisdictional waters in the East China Sea using the research vessel Xiangyanghong 22. The mission aimed to understand ecological conditions for conservation efforts, with announcements of such missions being rare.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung strongly refuted China's claims of establishing a "near-sea governance model" in the East China Sea, calling it "self-deception" and a "troublemaker" challenging international law and regional stability.
A CCTV-affiliated social media account reported that China's patrols east of Taiwan show an expansion of sailing paths and enhanced governing capabilities, suggesting a complete sea-governance system around the island.
Japan's Asahi Shimbun reports that China has been conducting maritime barrier drills in the East China Sea since October 2024, mobilizing up to 2,000 fishing vessels to form large barricades multiple times. Experts view this as a 'gray zone tactic' by China's maritime militia.
Three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships were spotted transiting the Tsushima Strait en route to the East China Sea last week, as Tokyo closely tracks such passages amid heightened regional tensions. The vessels were two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers and a Type 052D destroyer, according to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and Self-Defence Forces on Saturday. The ministry said the Japanese force’s JS Ootaka conducted “alert surveillance and intelligence gathering” on the Chinese...
