Singapore, July 5 -- An expert has warned that China might be using the eight-month-long "Bihai 2020" (or "Blue Sea 2020") initiative which commenced on April 1 as another justification for the increased presence of Chinese law enforcement vessels in the disputed South China Sea.

"Is the Bihai 2020 initiative as innocent as it seems? On the surface, the initiative appears to be solely aimed at enhancing marine environmental protection. However, as noted in the joint statement, law enforcement activities conducted under the initiative would involve coastal and sea patrols, as well as remote monitoring capabilities," YingHui Lee, an Associate Research Fellow with the Maritime Security Programme, at the S. Rajaratnam School of International...