Policing the Waves: Maritime Paramilitaries in the Asia-Pacific

Maritime paramilitary forces are being expanded and increasingly used as foreign-policy tools in East Asia. Such forces are less likely to be involved in significant military clashes and any incidents that arise from their activities are usually containable. However, their use also means diplomatic crises are more common, as maritime paramilitaries are more likely to use force or come under attack themselves. Events such as the detention of a Chinese trawler captain for one month, the arrest of a Vietnamese fisherman for a similar length of time and the death of a Chinese fisherman in a clash with the South Korean coast guard have underlined this trend. The use of these paramilitaries also suggests an ongoing desire among regional countries to unequivocally enforce their claims to disputed maritime areas. While they may suggest a ‘demilitarised’ policy to deal with these disputes, they do not suggest any political will to resolve them through negotiations. Although it may mean less chance of a military clash, the danger remains that such paramilitary activities will only escalate in future, and could be used as an excuse for military action, in a sort of Asian War of Jenkins' Ear.