Victor Cha: "China's West Sea Structures Are Grey Zone Tactics... South Korea and U.S. Must Respond"

"Similar Tactics Used in the Militarization of the South and East China Seas"

An American expert has suggested that China’s recent unauthorized installation of structures in the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) between South Korea and China in the West Sea constitutes “grey zone tactics,” and urged a strong response.

On December 9 (local time), Victor Cha, Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), stated in an article posted on CSIS’s North Korea-focused website “Beyond Parallel” that “the United States should define these actions as China’s grey zone tactics targeting Indo-Pacific partners.”

Status of marine structures installed by China in the West Sea. CSIS

Grey zone tactics refer to coercive actions that weaken an opponent through non-military means without triggering traditional armed conflict.

Chair Cha pointed out that China installed two large deep-sea aquaculture structures called “Shen Lan” and another large structure named “Atlantic Amsterdam” in the PMZ without prior consultation with South Korea, stating, “This violates the South Korea-China Fisheries Agreement, which prohibits the installation of permanent facilities within the PMZ.”

He further noted, “Since 2020, 27 out of 135 attempts by South Korean vessels to monitor China’s activities have been blocked by the China Coast Guard,” adding, “This includes several standoffs this year involving the South Korean research vessel Onnuri and the China Coast Guard.”

He explained, “While China’s deployment of the coast guard to patrol the PMZ and monitor South Korean government and research vessels in the area is not a technical violation of the fisheries agreement or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the installation of civilian facilities for potential dual-use purposes and China’s harassment of South Korean vessels are similar to the ‘incremental sovereignty expansion’ grey zone tactics China has used to militarize islands and reefs in the South China Sea and East China Sea.”

Chair Cha recommended, “The United States should highlight these activities as another example of China’s grey zone tactics targeting Indo-Pacific partners,” and suggested, “The United States and South Korea should consider releasing the coordinates of Chinese structures for public use and analysis.” He added, “The United States should support South Korea’s claims regarding China’s unilateral violations of the PMZ agreement.”

He particularly emphasized, “In short, the requirements set forth by the new U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), released on December 5, for the South China Sea also apply to U.S.-South Korea efforts to maintain freedom of navigation in the West Sea,” stressing, “Strong measures and necessary deterrence are needed to keep these sea lanes open, ensure free passage, and prevent arbitrary closure by any single country.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.