DISCERNING CHINA’S MARITIME “GRAY ZONE” ACTIVITIES

Indian Naval Despatch: Volume 6. No. 3 | by TSV Ramana

Published Date: August 2026 | 25 min read | 8 Views

Abstract: China claims large swaths of the South China Sea (SCS) enclosed within the infamous Nine-Dash Line. Similarly, it has territorial claims in the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea also. Since 2010, the term ‘gray zone’A has gained prominence in the discourse, to describe the actions of China while it is going about enforcing its territorial claims. It is believed that the actions by China under the ambi…

ying unarmed/lightly armed units to avoid use of deadly force, and control escalation. However, an analysis of 110 incidents in the SCS, ECS and the Yellow Sea present a diﬀerent picture. By popularising the term ‘gray zone’, the international community seems to be downplaying the illegal and coercive actions of China.

This article is available to subscribers only

Membership is currently unavailable.