Pirates, Illegal Fishing, and Other Illicit Activities in the South China Sea

This chapter discusses piracy, armed robbery at sea, and illegal fishing in the South China Sea. While focusing on illegal activities conducted by non-state actors, it acknowledges that the division of state and non-state activities has become increasingly blurred over recent decades. The chapter will first discuss the threat and nature of attacks on vessels in the South China Sea, demonstrating that even though such attacks are reported in these waters, the number of incidents is comparatively low, and most incidents are not very serious in nature. It also suggests that the disputes over water areas in the South China Sea affect the fight against piracy and armed robbery at sea in the area in two ways. On the one hand, it hampers efforts to combat these threats by obstructing cooperation and patrolling of affected waters, while on the other hand indirectly impeding the operations of the perpetrators of attacks. The subsequent section focuses on illegal fishing, which has not only economic and environmental implications but also geopolitical impacts because it alters the maritime dispute dynamics in the South China Sea. As an important example that blurs the distinction between traditional vs. non-traditional security and state vs. non-state actors, this part also discusses the activities of China’s maritime militia in the South China Sea. The section suggests that illegal fishing in the South China Sea threatens not only the livelihood of fishers but also their safety and the maritime rights of the coastal states.