South China Sea: Chinese coastguard ships, warplanes engaged in ‘parallel escalation’ off Malaysia

• Chinese coastguard ships ‘harassed’ Malaysian vessels near the Kasawari gas field last month, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said in a report

• An earlier patrol by 16 Chinese military aircraft, which Malaysia initially said had violated its airspace, was ‘likely not a coincidence’, the report said

Chinese coastguard vessels have repeatedly ‘harassed Malaysian energy exploration’ Photo: AP

A controversial incident that saw 16 Chinese military aircraft near Malaysian air space in late May coincided with similar activity by Chinese coastguard vessels in the area, and may have been part of “parallel escalation” efforts aimed at challenging energy exploration activities in the South China Sea, a US think tank said.

Unreported minor stand-offs between China and Southeast Asian claimant states are continuing, details in the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) report published on Thursday suggested, despite recent moves to hasten the introduction of a code of conduct for the disputed waterway.

Source: This Week In Asia