China’s illegal maritime structures in West Sea

Recent revelations about Chinese activity in the Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) in the West Sea have reignited concerns over Beijing’s growing maritime assertiveness. Newly released photographs show divers and maintenance personnel operating on steel structures that China installed without prior consultation — facilities Beijing claims are “deep-sea aquaculture platforms.” Yet their scale, equipment and guarded nature strongly suggest that these are not innocent fishing installations but instead are part of a broader attempt to entrench a Chinese presence in contested waters. The PMZ was established under the 2001 Korea-China Fisheries Agreement as a temporary arrangement until the two sides negotiate a permanent maritime boundary. The agreement explicitly permits fishing activities but prohibits the construction of fixed structures. Nevertheless, China began erecting steel facilities, dubbed Shenlan 1 and Shenlan 2, in 2018 and has steadily expanded them since 2022. Korean authorities report that Chinese vessels have blocked access to the area and that Beijing uniWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times