Key Points

This development has become a fresh source of conflict between China and South Korea. The Eurasian Times reported that Korean ships attempted to examine the steel structure, leading to a recent standoff between the coast guards of the two nations.

According to diplomatic sources cited by South Korean news agency Yonhap, the two coast guards were at odds for two hours. The Eurasian Times reported that the altercation occurred on the afternoon of February 26 in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ), close to Socotra Rock, southwest of Jeju Island in South Korea.

The PMZ is a jointly administered area in the Yellow Sea--referred to as the West Sea in Korea--where South Korea's and China's exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap. The South Korean research ship Onnuri was sent by the government to inspect the structure, but it was blocked by Chinese coast guard vessels and civilian boats, mirroring tactics reportedly used against the Philippine Coast Guard.

A two-hour standoff followed after Seoul dispatched a coast guard ship to the location. South Korea asserted that its inspection was legitimate, but China countered by claiming the structure was an aquafarm and requested the Korean ship to leave.

South Korea responded to the incident by summoning a representative of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to lodge a formal protest. According to recent satellite imagery, China has constructed several large steel platforms within the PMZ. The Eurasian Times noted that the PMZ was established under a 2000 agreement that permits fishing and transit until a final maritime boundary is agreed upon.

One of the installations is a 71.5-metre-tall underwater marine cage named Shen Lan 2 Hao (also known as Deep Blue 2), intended for salmon farming. The massive cage and its jack-up support equipment have sparked concern in South Korea. The Eurasian Times reported that the Korean government maintains the right to inspect the structure under the 2001 Korea-China Fisheries Agreement.

The Eurasian Times further stated that South Korea claims the structure was installed without permission or prior notification. China had previously set up similar platforms in the area, but they were dismantled after protests from Seoul. The latest installation, featuring three long legs that anchor to the sea floor, signals growing Chinese involvement in the disputed region.

- ANI