China's New Coast Guard Law and Implications for Maritime Security in the East and South China Seas
China’s New Coast Guard Law and Implications for Maritime Security in the East and South China Seas Introduction The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress passed the China Coast Guard (CCG) Law (海警法) on Jan. 22, and the law is scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1. The new law hasn’t attracted tons of attention, but it violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The change builds on other shifts that have militarized China’s maritime law enforcement apparatus. In 2013, China created the CCG Bureau (中国海警局), which unites the p...