ABSTRACT
The body of water dividing China and the Koreas has inherent geostrategic importance and military operational significance. The South China Sea appears to have the greatest volume, frequency, and diversity of PAFMM operations; these are widely revealed in readily available sources. Compared with the South China Sea, in the East China Sea there are fewer contested features, none controlled by the PRC far from its shores, and hence fewer permissive locations for PAFMM personnel to engage in marine economic activities—a domain that greatly facilitates the scope, variety, and “justification” of their operations in the South China Sea. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.
