U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Galveston Island (that small ship in the
background), alongside the People’s Republic of China
Maritime Safety Administration ship Haixun 31 (that big ship in the foreground) eight miles offshore of Honolulu, Sept. 6, 2012. Photo: USCG
Maritime Safety Administration ship Haixun 31 (that big ship in the foreground) eight miles offshore of Honolulu, Sept. 6, 2012. Photo: USCG
The head of the U.S. Navy warned China that its coast guard and maritime militia will be treated in the same way as the nation’s navy in the South China Sea, the Financial Times reported, citing an interview.We've looked at the Chinese Coast Guard a few times, here's a post from January 2016:
China is increasingly relying on non-naval ships to assert its claims in the region, blurring the line between its military and coast guard, which has complicated U.S. efforts in the past few years, according to the report. China considers at least 80 percent of the South China Sea to be its sovereign territory, a claim disputed by other regional powers.
Admiral John Richardson told the FT that he has “made it very clear that the U.S. Navy will not be coerced and will continue to conduct routine and lawful operations around the world.” Richardson highlighted the apparent policy shift to Shen Jinlong, China’s naval commander, during his trip to the country in January....MORE
"Beijing Builds ‘Monster’ Ship for Patrolling the South China Sea"
From The Diplomat:
According to Chinese state media, the ship will be the largest coast guard vessel in the world.
China has finished construction on a second 10,000-ton China Coast Guard (CCG) cutter destined for patrols in the South China Sea, Chinese state media reports. The ship, designated CCG 3901, “has been completed recently and is ready to start protecting China’s maritime rights,” The Global Times announced. A sister ship, the CCG2901, already deployed to the East China Sea in 2015.Regarding the size differential between the ships in the first picture I am reminded of the charge of Captain Evans off Samar.
The CCG 3901, constructed at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard, has been dubbed the ‘monster’ by the media due to its unusual large size for a coast guard vessel. According to some sources, the vessel could have a displacement 12,000 to 15,000 metric tons once all systems have been installed aboard. In comparison, the China Coast Guard ship outsizes a the U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser by about 50 percent, and is also bigger than an Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyer (e.g., the USS Lassen), which displaces around 9,700 tons. In addition, it also outclasses Japan’s 6,500-ton Shikishima-class coast guard cutters....
