US to integrate maritime forces for South China Sea operations amid Chinese threat

United States is planning to integrate its Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard over next decade to counter China's growing influence in South China Sea. According to South China Morning Post, integrated all-domain naval power would counter United States' "most pressing, long-term strategic threat."

As per a strategic paper published last month titled 'Advant at Sea', integrated marine force will focus on achieving US navy's objectives of "preserving freedom of seas, deterring aggression and winning wars".

"China's behaviour and accelerated military growth place it on a trajectory that will challenge our ability to continue to do so. We are at an inflection point," said paper as quoted by South China Morning Post. Based on what it calls nine-dash line, Chinese government claims nearly 90 percent of South China Sea which has been fiercely challenged by its neighbours including Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Philippines. Chinese claim was struck down by a UN tribunal in 2016 for lack of legal basis, however, verdict was rejected by Beijing. 

Read: Philippines Building Sea-based Military Force To Counter Chinese Claims In South China Sea

resource-rich waters are one of busiest in region and have become a potential flashpoint between China and US due to its geostrategic importance. 

Unlike US Navy and Marine Corps, which fall under US Department of Defence, US Coastguard comes under purview of Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, making its work less sensitive [than overtly military actions] when engaging with Souast Asian countries.

On or hand, Chinese Coastguard has played a leading role in several recent grey-zone activities, including in fishing disputes off Indonesia's Natuna Islands and stand-off with Vietnam over Vanguard Bank.

Read: Chinese Warship Tracks US Destroyer During Freedom Of Navigation Sail In South China Sea

Chinese Warship Tracks US Destroyer

Meanwhile, in an apparent escalation, a Chinese warship shadowed a US guided-missile destroyer USS John S McCain, who was transiting through disputed waters of South China Sea recently, Fox News reported. While China has claimed its legitimate right over 1.3 million square kilometres of South China Sea, US ships regularly sail through it asserting freedom of navigation. As per ANI, US warship was sailing through Gaven Reef and Johnson South Reef when Chinese ship impeded its course.

"This freedom of navigation operation ('FOP') upheld rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of sea recognized in international law by challenging restrictions on incent pass imposed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. All interactions with foreign military forces were consistent with international rms and did t impact operation," 7th Fleet of United States Navy wrote in a statement.

(With ANI Inputs)

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