Coast guard–type forces, commonly called “white hulls,” ought to constitute a stabilizing presence compared to regular navy forces (or “grey hulls”), as sea-power theorist Harold Kearsley wrote in Maritime Power and the Twenty-First Century in 1992. “White hulls” do not convey the same overtly militaristic, war-fighting impression as regular naval forces employed for this purpose. […]

China opened up a new front for South China Sea conflict this week when one of its coast guard vessels collided with an Indonesian coast guard ship in the process of towing a captured Chinese vessel alleged to be engaged in illegal fishing. In a remarkably direct and frank statement, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister protested China’s […]

Jakarta found itself in the middle of the South China Sea disputes on Saturday after a patrol boat from the Indonesian Ministry of Fishery and Marine Affairs (KKP), KP Hiu 11, seized a Chinese fishing vessel, Kway Fey 10078, and arrested its eight crewmembers for illegally fishing less than three miles off the coast Natuna […]

Malaysia has said that more than 100 Chinese fishing boats have been spotted within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Sarawak and it planned to take action against them. The boats were sighted near Beting Patinggi Ali, also known as Luconia Shoals, about 100km off the coast of Miri in Sarawak. The shoals are near […]

The spat between Indonesia and China over the South-east Asian nation’s actions to intercept a Chinese fishing vessel poaching in its exclusive economic zone, and Malaysia’s startling announcement yesterday that it was monitoring the intrusion of 100 Chinese fishing boats in its waters guarded by two Chinese coast guard ships, have again raised worry over […]

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said only 82 foreign fishing boats were seen in Malaysia’s waters in the South China Sea near Miri, Sarawak, by Friday (March 25), a day after a Cabinet minister said 100 Chinese boats were sighted in the area. MMEA director-general Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar also told reporters on Saturday […]

Taiping island, South China Sea (CNN)Taiwan claims to have continuously occupied this postage stamp-sized island in the azure waters of the South China Sea for 60 years. But it wasn’t until this week, that the government invited journalists to see the tiny place firsthand. Also known as Itu Aba, Taiping island consists of little more […]

The European Union (EU) made a declaration through the Union’s High Representative urging all claimant countries in South China Sea “to resolve disputes through peaceful means, to clarify the basis of their claims, and to pursue them in accordance with international law including UNCLOS and its arbitration procedures.” The Declaration was released March 11. The […]