03/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/29/2024 09:43
Washington, March 29, 2024 - Today, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) released a new report, Countering Coercion: Managing Chinese Gray Zone Activity in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region, by authors Lisa Curtis and Nilanthi Samaranayake.
The new report examines the increasingly aggressive gray zone activities conducted by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. China's gray zone activities are maritime actions designed to bully and coerce regional states in a manner that changes the status quo in China's favor without triggering a major conflict. The report argues that these activities violate international laws and norms and must be confronted more directly by the United States and its regional partners to deter China from future maritime and territorial aggression. The report recommends strategic steps that the United States can take to build confidence among its allies, while shoring up the regional security architecture to keep the seaways free and open.
"Beijing has been undeterred in asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea, assessing it can coerce and intimidate the Southeast Asian nations to eventually accept its illegal assertions," write the report authors.
The report charts China's goals and activities in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, as well as how the U.S. and other international actors have responded to the uptick in maritime tensions between the Philippines and China.
The report concludes with policy recommendations for the U.S. and its allies, aimed at creating a multilateral response that reestablishes the rule of law and provides a strong counter to Chinese gray zone activity.
The report recommends that the United States
For more information or to schedule an interview with the report's authors, please contact Alexa Whaley at [email protected].