China’s Assertiveness in the South China Sea: A Call for a Stronger US Presence
The South China Sea has become a flashpoint for regional tensions, with China increasingly displaying aggressive behavior towards its neighbors.Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in incidents involving Chinese Coast Guard vessels and fishing boats harassing, ramming, or even attacking philippine vessels with water cannons and even hatchets. This escalating campaign risks destabilizing the region and potentially drawing the United States into a conflict it would prefer too avoid.
China’s strategy hinges on three key maritime forces: the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), and the People’s Armed force Maritime Militia (PLAFMM). While the PLAN is a powerful force, the CCG and PLAFMM operate in a murky gray zone, blurring the lines between civilian and military activity. These forces routinely violate the Exclusive Economic zones (EEZs) of other nations, harass vessels exercising freedom of navigation rights, and even attack resupply ships servicing distant outposts.
This aggressive approach, especially against the philippines, Vietnam, and Japan, is fueled by China’s desire to establish dominance over the South China Sea. They are employing asymmetric tactics, utilizing methods below the threshold of open warfare, to intimidate and control smaller nations.
“Countries that hope to accomplish diplomatic, informational, military, and economic objectives without using outright military power will resort to asymmetric tactics that do not rise to the level of sparking a conflict,” explains an expert.
Asymmetric tactics are employed out of a calculated need to avoid provoking a direct confrontation with the United States. China knows that a direct clash with American naval forces, with their superior technology and experiance, would be disastrous. However, this doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned ambition: the recent increase in aggressive acts, including incidents of CCG personnel brandishing bladed weapons against Philippine personnel, suggests a growing boldness.
Fortunately, there are signs that China, when confronted by the United states, largely adheres to a more measured approach. While they engage in shadowing and close monitoring of American vessels, they haven’t resorted to the same aggressive tactics employed against their Southeast Asian counterparts. Chinese leaders seem to understand that, provided that they keep their actions below the threshold of ‘open war’ against the US, their risk of a full-blown confrontation remains low.
The US needs to adjust its strategy. Remaining passive and allowing China to bully smaller nations in the region will only embolden beijing and further destabilize the south China Sea. Rather, the United States should adopt a more robust and proactive posture, letting China know that any further escalation will be met with a strong response. This doesn’t necessarily require escalating to open warfare: the mere presence of an American-flagged aircraft or vessel can frequently enough be enough to deter further aggression.
“The United states needs a more proactive military presence to prevent the ever-escalating PRC threat from becoming the dominant power in the Pacific,” asserts a military analyst.
A stronger US military presence in the South China Sea sends a clear message to China and its Southeast Asian neighbors that the US is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The current situation is a precarious one. without a decisive and proactive response from the United States, the South China Sea risks becoming a flashpoint for a wider conflict with devastating regional consequences.
