Turning tides in maritime security: coast guard grey zone operations in the East and South China Seas

Abstract

In today’s world, wars need not be fought on the physical front, nor between state military forces – wars and conflicts can be conducted by anyone, and take place in any shape or form. Conflicts between states have taken on a different form, to one that is more ambiguous, and not so much centred around physical force by state military forces. Recent employment of grey zone tactics and behaviours by non-state actors have brought grey zone warfare to the forefront of attention of many states’ military forces and policymakers.

In the East and South China Seas (ESCS), coast guards are used as an instrument of grey zone warfare in the ESCS. It is therefore important for us to understand how coast guards play a role in grey zone warfare in the ESCS, and, importantly, how states can act to counter these grey zone tactics. I aim to answer the following questions: (1) Who are these non-military actors and what are they doing? (2) Why do states utilise coast guards, and not the military for their grey zone operations? (3) What is the future for the region?

My research aims to inform policymakers and political office holders of the grey zone threats posed by coast guards in the region, and the countermeasures that states can take to defend themselves against these threats.