China Coast Guard (CCG; ) is the
maritime security
Maritime security is an umbrella term informed to classify issues in the Maritime transport, maritime domain that are often related to national security, marine environment, economic development, and human security. This includes the world's ocean ...
,
search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, and
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by discovering, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms governing that society. The term en ...
service branch
Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state.
Types of branches
Unified armed forces
The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifi ...
of the
People's Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
of
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. It is currently the world's largest
coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
.
Function
The CCG is known to perform mostly coastal and oceanic search and rescue or patrols, including anti-smuggling operations. During wartime it may be placed under the operational control of the
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army.
The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chinese ...
.
Roles
Roles of the CCG are diverse but include:
* Patrol of territorial waters and disputed territories
* Anti-smuggling, anti-piracy
* Maritime policing and ship inspections
* Harbor and coastal security
* Research and survey
* Search and Rescue
* Fisheries protection
*
Grey-zone operations (often alongside the PLAN and
People's Armed Forces Maritime Militia
The People's Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM; zh, 中国海上民兵) is the government funded maritime militia of China. For reportedly operating in the South China Sea without clear identification, they are sometimes referred to as the "li ...
)
Command
After the reform in 2018, CCG consists commands (sub-bureaus) and divisions (local bureaus). The name in the parentheses is for general use.
Training
The Chinese Coast Guard conducts periodic joint-training sessions with other navies, including the US Coast Guard service. The Chinese Coast Guard has also participated in the annual
North Pacific Coast Guard Agencies Forum
The North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF) was initiated by the Japan Coast Guard in 2000 as a venue to foster multilateral cooperation through the sharing of information on matters related to combined operations, exchange of information, illega ...
in Alaska, along with US, Canadian, Japanese, South Korean, and Russian Coast Guards. As part of an exchange program, members of the Chinese Coast Guard service have been assigned to serve on
U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
cutters.
History
The China Coast Guard was formed in 2013 from the maritime branch of the
People's Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
Border Security Force and the other
maritime law enforcement agencies in China China used to operate several separate maritime law enforcement agencies. These services operated ships as well as their own small aviation units to assist their maritime patrol capabilities. In July 2013, the functions of these services were taken ...
. The unified Coast Guard is commanded by the
State Oceanic Administration and has been in operation since July 2013. On July 1, 2018, the China Coast Guard was transferred from civilian control of the
State Council State Council may refer to:
Government
* State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of South Korea, headed by the President
* State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative auth ...
and the
State Oceanic Administration, to the
People's Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
, ultimately placing it under the command of the
Central Military Commission.
In June 2018, the China Coast Guard was granted maritime rights and law enforcement akin civilian law enforcement agencies in order to carry out contrast of illegal activities, keep peace and order, as well as safeguarding security at sea, when performing duties related to the use of marine resources, protection of marine environment, regulation of fishery, and anti-smuggling.
In 2019, the United States issued a warning to China over aggressive and unsafe action by their Coast Guard and maritime militia.
The Coast Guard Law allows CCG ships to use lethal force on foreign ship that do not obey order to leave Chinese waters.
It took effect on February 1, 2021.
Equipment
Vessels
Chinese Coast Guard ships are painted white with blue stripe and wording China Coast Guard in English and Chinese.
Typical Coast Guard ships include the 130 ton
Type 218 patrol boat
Type may refer to:
Science and technology Computing
* Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc.
* Data type, collection of values used for computations.
* File type
* TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file.
* ...
(100 boats), armed with twin 14.5mm machine guns, assorted speedboats, and few larger patrol ships. Up until very recently, the largest ship in Chinese Coast Guard service was the 1,500 ton
Type 718 cutter (31101 Pudong).
In March 2007, it was reported that the
PLAN
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.
F ...
had transferred 2
Type 728 cutter (44102, ex-509 Changde; 46103, ex-510 Shaoxing) to the Coast Guard and re-numbered them as 1002 & 1003. At the time these ships were the largest vessels in the China Coast Guard inventory.
In May 2017, it was reported that China had deployed the 12,000 ton China Coast Guard (CCG) 3901 cutter No. 1123 to patrol its claimed islands in the disputed South China Sea.
The CCG 3901 cutter is the world's biggest coast guard cutter, and is larger than the U.S. Navy's 9,800 ton
''Ticonderoga''-class guided-missile cruisers and its 8,300-9,300 ton
''Arleigh Burke''-class guided missile destroyers.
The CCG 3901 cutter is armed with 76mm H/PJ-26 rapid fire naval guns, two auxiliary guns, and two anti-aircraft guns.
CCG ships are named "Haijing-XX", where XX is a number.
Personnel
CCG ships are staffed by
People’s Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
personnel.
China Coast Guard Academy is a dedicated institution that provides training for personnels to enter the CCG.
See also
*
Coast Guard Administration (Taiwan)
The Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council (CGA; ), also known as the Taiwan Coast Guard or R.O.C. Coast Guard, is charged with maintaining law and order, protecting the resources of the territorial waters of the Republic of Chin ...
*
People's Armed Police
)
, abbreviation = PAP ("People's Armed Police") CAPF ("Chinese Armed Police Force"), formerly abbreviated''Wujing'' ( zh , s = 武警 , p = Wǔjǐng , l = Armed Police , labels = no ), or WJ as on vehicle license plates
, patch ...
*
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army.
The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chinese ...
**
People's Liberation Army Navy Coastal Defense Force
The People's Liberation Army Navy Coastal Defense Force is one of five branches of the People's Liberation Army Navy.[China Maritime Safety Administration
The Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China (CMSA; ) is a government agency which administers all matters related to maritime and shipping safety, including the supervision of maritime traffic safety and security, prevent ...](_blank)
takes on the navigation safety and control duties, including harbormaster powers in most ports. It was not merged with the new coast guard in 2013.
*
China Marine Surveillance
China Marine Surveillance (CMS; ) was a maritime surveillance agency of China.
Patrol vessels from China Marine Surveillance are commonly deployed to locations in the South China Sea and East China Sea where China has territorial disputes over ...
Defunct in July 2013. The present China Coast Guard is a unified force that conducts law-enforcement operations in waters administered by China.
*
People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Military of the People's Republic of China
People's Armed Police
Reserve forces
Law enforcement agencies of China
Auxiliary military units
Coast guards
State Oceanic Administration