27/05/2025
Red Lantern Analytica (RLA) condemns in the strongest terms the People’s Republic of China’s recent unilateral declaration of multiple “no-sail zones” within the Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) of the Yellow Sea—areas that fall squarely within South Korea’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and are meant to be jointly administered. Beijing’s opaque rationale, reportedly linked to military exercises, flagrantly disregards the 2000 bilateral PMZ agreement and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which guarantees freedom of navigation and resource-sharing in overlapping waters
Worse still, credible reports now confirm the erection of fixed steel structures—misleadingly described as “aquaculture facilities”—clearly intended to establish de facto control through “grey-zone” tactics. By installing these installations without prior consultation, the PRC seeks to alter the status quo incrementally, testing the limits of South Korea’s—and the international community’s—willingness to enforce existing norms.
RLA underscores that:
- Unilateral maritime restrictions in overlapping EEZs undermine regional stability and erode the principle of transparent, rules-based cooperation.
- Military-linked “no-sail zones” severely restrict commercial shipping and fishing activities, threatening economic livelihoods and navigational safety.
- Grey-zone installations masquerading as civilian infrastructure represent a deliberate attempt to consolidate territorial control without triggering open conflict.
- Beijing must immediately clarify the purpose, coordinates, and duration of these zones; dismantle unauthorized structures; and engage in genuine, trilateral dialogue with Seoul and other Yellow Sea stakeholders.
RLA reaffirms its commitment to democratic values, freedom of navigation, and a rules-based maritime order. We call upon the PRC to cease its coercive maneuvers, respect international law, and restore the PMZ to its intended purpose of peaceful resource management and joint stewardship.
