The topic this time is: China's Maritime Police Bureau Deploys Refurbished Warships, Powerful Equipment, Growing Crisis.
I would like to share the contents of the article of the Sankei Shimbun newspaper posted on February 16.
A new concern has emerged over the Senkaku Islands (Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture), where China has been trespassing in territorial waters.
This is because it has been learned that the Chinese Navy has transferred authority of a strongly armed frigate to the Chinese Maritime Police Bureau, which operates around the Senkaku Islands.
The Maritime Police Law, which came into effect a year ago, allows the Maritime Police Bureau to use weapons for law enforcement purposes.
As the gap in power between China's Maritime Police Bureau and the Japan Coast Guard widens, there are fears that the China's Maritime Police Bureau will push forward with more aggressive activities.
The situation in the Senkaku Islands may become more tense," said a government official.
It was only late last year that it became known that the Chinese Maritime Police Bureau had been armed, when foreign media in Europe reported on the transfer of authority of Chinese navy warships.
According to government officials, the transferred frigates are expected to have the same capabilities including a 76mm main gun and a 30mm machine gun, except that they are equipped with a new electronic message board and other equipment.
On the other hand, the missile systems on the stern and in the center of the hull have been removed, and instead radar-like equipment and what appears to be a water cannon used for riot control have been added.
The painting of the ships varies depending on their purpose.
Coast Guard patrol vessels of the Japan Coast Guard , which are used to respond to intrusions into territorial waters and rescue operations, are painted white.
Self-Defense Force ships, on the other hand, are painted gray to make them less conspicuous at sea.
This is also the case overseas.
The warships that have been transferred to the China’s Maritime Police Bureau are also painted white, but "in reality, they are powerful armed ships themselves, just like the gray (warships)," said a government official.
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