China Brings Out the Big Guns in the South China Sea

China’s naval pressure campaign against rival nations in the South China Sea has reached unprecedented heights since yearly short-term moratoriums on fishing were lifted, with Chinese ships shadowing Western warships in the region and seeking to interrupt maritime resupply on a submerged, Philippine-claimed island.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s ongoing blockade of the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef that’s part of the Spratly Island chain in the West Philippine Sea, has become a rallying point for Southeast Asian countries concerned about China’s harassment of smaller nations on the high seas. In early August, the Philippines accused Chinese vessels of firing water cannons at its Coast Guard ships as they attempted to resupply the reef.

It was a major display of force by China, including six large Coast Guard ships and four naval vessels. “It looked to be a calculated show of force by China,” said Ray Powell, the director of SeaLight, a Stanford University project focused on China’s maritime gray zone activities. “It looked like China was trying to send the Philippines a message that playtime is over. We’re bringing in the big guns.”