The China Coast Guard (CCG) would be allowed to use weapons against foreign ships in waters China claims sovereignty. This is under a proposed revision to China's maritime police/coast guard law, according to a translated version. Lets call it the "fire on law".
China routinely accuses the US of infringing its sovereignty by sending naval vessels through contested waters. China claims waters within 12 nautical mile of some Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea (SCS). See map above (courtesy). These are waters the USN conducts FONOPs through with the US considering them international waters.
This Chinese announcement may have been timed to counter an earlier US Trump Administration October 24, 2020 announcement that the US Coast Guard would base "Enhanced Response Cutters" which seems to mean Fast Response Cutters (main gun only being a 25mm autocannon) in the Western Pacific. China may positioning itself for a test of future Biden Administration resolve, after Biden is augurated on January 20, 2021.
Also China may be facing down a Philippine intention, expressed in October 2020 that the Philippines was considering recruiting fishermen into SCS seaborne militia units similar to those used by Beijing. In early November the Philippines appeared to shelve that idea as Manila is keen to avoid “actions that would be misconstrued”.
China's consideration of a fire on law would also weaken the resolve of less formidable Southeast Asian navies and coast guards (all but Singapore's and Vietnam's relatively strong navies) to entertain any counter Chinese naval militia or CCG policies.
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CCG VESSELS AND WEAPONS
The draft fire on law of course does not specify what weapons the CCG could use. Vessel classes and weapons include:
- 100+ Chinese patrol boats size “cutters” with twin 14.5mm Type 56 machine guns and
smaller weapons.
- 70+ corvette sized (500-2,700 ton) cutters and
- 44 x destroyer sized (3,325-5,500 ton) with corvette and destroyer sizes capable of mounting 40mm up
to 76mm guns.
- And up to 2 x Zhaotou class 12,000 ton cruiser sized cutters (CCG 2901 and CCG 3901) each armed with a 76mm gun. Foreground, above is one of the two. (Photo courtesy reddit).
With more than 100 CCG cutters capable of mounting 40+mm guns they well and truly outgun the cutters of their coast guard opponents. This includes the 25mm guns on the 6 USCG Sentinel class/"Enhanced" Fast Response Cutters to be sent to the Western Pacific.
Current USCG cutters may be deploying smaller guns than in the past. I can only see the Medium Endurance Cutter as having a 76mm gun.
Guided missiles and an armed medium sized helicopter can also fly off the 2,700+ ton larger CCG cutters.
See Youtube of various CCG vessels in action.