US Concerned at Chinese Law Allowing Coast Guard Use of Arms

The US has expressed concern about a new law that authorises the Chinese coast guard to fire on foreign ships operating in disputed waters claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea and East China Sea….

Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official, said the Chinese coast guard was a “formidable” force that has grown in size in recent years. “I could see this as a way to try to drive a wedge between Washington and Tokyo to see whether the US was willing to pay the piper,” he said….