ABSTRACT
This chapter critically evaluates China’s coercive actions in the South China Sea in the 21st century, with a specific focus on the use of military and paramilitary force. First, it provides an overview of China’s strategic objectives in the South China Sea and the policy actions taken in the late 20th and early 21st centuries to accomplish them. Second, it discusses China’s increased use of paramilitary coercion in the South China Sea, specifically the role of the Chinese Coast Guard and China’s “maritime militia” in asserting and enforcing China’s territorial and jurisdictional claims. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of current trends in the use of the China Coast Guard, the increased role of the PLA, and the future trajectory of the use of force in the region.
