China Coast Guard Huangyan Island Drill: Experts Warn Related Countries to Consider the Consequences of Continued Provocation

【Global Times - Global Network Report by Reporter Fan Wei】Jiang Lue, spokesperson for the China Coast Guard, stated that on August 1, the China Coast Guard organized a rights protection law enforcement control drill in the waters near Huangyan Island, focusing on law enforcement actions such as boarding and capturing, blocking intrusions, and forced towing. Videos obtained by the Global Times show that during this training exercise, the China Coast Guard practiced a series of law enforcement actions, from hoisting small boats to maritime pursuit and boarding inspections. Relevant experts interviewed by the Global Times indicated that the publicly disclosed training subjects by the China Coast Guard are undoubtedly a "show of strength," and related countries should weigh the consequences they would face if they continue to provoke and infringe.

The video shows that this training exercise was entirely a simulation of real scenarios. In the boarding and capturing phase, China Coast Guard law enforcement officers boarded a Chinese fishing vessel acting as a foreign ship while holding police equipment. In the forced towing phase, the China Coast Guard enforcement vessel also used a "two-boat encirclement" method to forcibly take away a high-powered speedboat.

“The training subjects publicly disclosed by the China Coast Guard are highly targeted, equivalent to a full-process practical response to the criminal acts of related countries that pose a potential threat to China's sovereignty over the territorial waters of Huangyan Island,” said Yang Xiao, a researcher at the Institute of Peace and Development Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in an interview with the Global Times on August 1. The boarding and capturing phase involves boarding inspections of foreign vessels attempting to intrude into China's territorial waters around Huangyan Island and apprehending relevant criminal suspects. Blocking intrusions involves taking coercive measures, such as using water cannons to block or push back, to prevent foreign vessels attempting to intrude into the waters of Huangyan Island from entering the controlled area. Forced towing is an escalation of countermeasures aimed at forcibly removing foreign infringing vessels from the controlled area, and even forcibly detaining foreign infringing vessels as a strong measure.

It should be noted that the relevant law enforcement actions of the China Coast Guard are fully legal. According to Article 17 of the "China Coast Guard Law," the Coast Guard has the authority to order foreign vessels that illegally enter China's territorial waters and internal waters to leave immediately or take measures such as detention, forced expulsion, and forced towing. Additionally, Article 47 stipulates that if foreign vessels illegally engage in production activities in China's jurisdictional waters, refuse to comply with stop orders, or otherwise refuse to accept boarding and inspection, and other measures are insufficient to stop illegal activities, the Coast Guard personnel may use handheld weapons after ineffective warnings.

“The training organized by the China Coast Guard in the waters near Huangyan Island undoubtedly serves as a 'show of strength.' It is hoped that those countries attempting to infringe and provoke can clearly see that the law enforcement actions of the China Coast Guard in Huangyan Island are not only legal but will also be enforced. Relevant countries should consider their own capabilities before escalating provocations,” Yang Xiao stated. In fact, during this training exercise, the China Coast Guard intentionally increased the difficulty, as the foreign vessels involved in the infringement around Huangyan Island do not yet match the capabilities and levels of the "Blue Force" vessels in this training exercise.

On August 1, the China Coast Guard also emphasized in a report that Huangyan Island is an inherent territory of China. The China Coast Guard will strengthen law enforcement control in the waters near Huangyan Island to resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.