Lucio Blanco Pitlo III is a research fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, fellow at the University of the Philippines Korea Research Centre, lecturer at the Chinese Studies Programme at Ateneo de Manila University, and contributing editor (Reviews) for the Asian Politics & Policy Journal.
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South China Sea: why stormy reactions to China’s new coastguard law are overblown Illustration: Craig Stephens
China s new coastguard law entered into force on February 1. Some media reports have raised concerns. Will the Chinese coastguard become a second navy ? Under what conditions would the coastguard be used in maritime law enforcement? Are the provisions of the law on the use of police equipment and firearms consistent with international law? And, will the new law heighten tensions in the region?
Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr even said that the new law is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law .