Chapter Nine
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the 13 straits in the First Island Chain. It is important to note that China
continues these activities “little by little,” as if it wants to test its
neighbor’s reactions. There are many examples showing us that the PRC
has its own understanding of international law and rules related to
maritime activities, and doesn’t share the common sense of the
international community. This is why the neighboring countries are
concerned about the increase in Chinese maritime activities.
For example, a JIANGKAI I class (Type 054) frigate Wenzhou from
PLAN’s East Sea Fleet aimed a beam of fire control radar for a few
minutes at a Japanese SH-60K helicopter belonging to the TAKANAMI
class destroyer Oonami of Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)
on the high seas in the East China Sea around 17:00 on January 19, 2013.
On January 30, the JIANGWEI II class (Type 053H3) frigate Lianyungang
of the East Sea Fleet also locked a beam of fire control radar for targeting
Ship-to-Ship Missiles (SSM) and a 100 mm gun on the MURASAME
class destroyer Yuudachi of the JMSDF on the high seas around the
Senkaku Islands. After detection of the beam from the Chinese vessel, the
Yuudachi, 3,000 m far from Lianyungang, immediately took evasive
action.
Japan unveiled these dangerous Chinese actions and asked the Chinese
government for explanation but China denied accusations by Japan and
claimed Japan had given out “false information” in order to “hype up” the
threat from China.^8 However, it is clear from multiple sources that a series
of provocative actions by Chinese frigates were ordered by the central
military committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to intimidate
Japan.
In general, to be locked-on by fire control radar means one has been
targeted by an adversary. It is very easy to imagine that this provocative
action might cause a reflexive counterattack and result in an unexpected
military clash. In February 2013, Kevin K. Maher, former Director of the
Office of Japanese Affairs at the U.S. State Department, said to the
Japanese parliament^9 : “If the U.S. naval vessel was locked on by someone,
it would immediately strike back while conducting an evasive maneuver.”
The PRC also insists that they have the right to regulate foreign
military activities in their 200 mile maritime Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ), but this is a minority view among world nations.^10 According to the
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal states allow the
(^8) CNN, “China denies putting radar-lock on Japanese warship“, 9 February 2013.
(^9) A Testimony of Mr. Kevin K. Maher in Japanese parliament on 6 February 2013.
(^10) O’Rourke, Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes
Involving China: Issues for Congress.