Coast Guard of the PLA Navy gained the right to open fire on foreign ships if necessary. The relevant law was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (supreme legislative body of the PRC), Reuters reports.
Under the new law, PLA Coast Guard patrol ships are allowed to use “all the necessary funds” to stop foreign ships or prevent other actions, posing a threat to Chinese ships. Besides, Coast Guard personnel are allowed to destroy structures in other countries, installed on reefs in disputed areas.
The same law allows the PLA Coast Guard ships to restrict the entry of foreign ships into disputed waters., stop and inspect ships of foreign states, who entered the water, which China claims.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said, that the new law is called “protect sovereignty, China's safety and maritime rights”, it fully complies with international practice.
note, that in April last year, a Chinese patrol ship from the PLA Coast Guard sank a Vietnamese schooner and detained two more near the Xisha Islands (Paracelsky), being the subject of a territorial dispute between Vietnam and China.
Recall, that the Spratly archipelago and the Paracel Islands are in dispute between several countries. Due to their strategic location and significant oil reserves, on them, except China and Vietnam, claim the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. To date, China has declared the islands its own and does not intend to concede them to anyone despite international pressure..
