China has expanded its maritime law enforcement activities around Taiwan by bringing multiple government departments into operations previously dominated by its coast guard, Professor Chisako Masuo, a Japanese expert said. “China is increasingly using different government departments and maritime mechanisms to expand its presence. This is a significant shift in its maritime strategy, which cannot be understood through military activities alone” she said, warning that Beijing's growing presence in the region as a threat.

Masuo said China had begun combining the activities of its Coast Guard, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Natural Resources. The departments operate under different laws, allowing Beijing to strengthen its maritime presence through multiple administrative mechanisms. She argued that this expansion had effectively taken Chinese maritime law enforcement beyond the first island chain. The ‘First Island Chain’ is a chain of islands and archipelagos in the western Pacific that stretches from Japan in the north, through Taiwan and the Philippines, towards Borneo in the south.

Masuo further argued that China's maritime strategy under President Xi Jinping combines — military, administrative, scientific and economic capabilities. She spoke about Beijing's efforts to strengthen “maritime militia” operations and develop different categories of maritime equipment. She said countries should not focus only on China's shipbuilding capacity but also examine the wider range of capabilities it is developing for use in the oceans. She also urged countries to examine China's domestic policy programmes, scientific activities and economic initiatives to understand its future maritime ambitions.

The observations came during the Annual Conference 2026 of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies (SIOS), held on November 13 at the India International Centre (IIC) in New Delhi. The conference, themed Maritime Dialogue: Strategy, Multilateralism and Civilisational Connect, brought together diplomats, academics and strategic experts to discuss maritime security, regional cooperation and the changing geopolitical environment.

Former Indian diplomat Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad stressed that India must prioritise its immediate neighbourhood before expanding its strategic focus to distant maritime theatres such as the South China Sea. “While we are deliberating about China and the Indo-pacific, the threat for us is more immediate”, said. He also called for a focused national strategy that places greater emphasis on regional engagement. He said, “India must avoid military conflicts while maintaining a meaningful presence in the region to safeguard peace and stability.”

His central argument was that India's regional priorities should guide its wider maritime strategy. He has served as India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. He has also served as Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).

Former Indian diplomat Ambassador Rajiv Bhatia highlighted the importance of regular political engagement in sustaining multilateral groupings. “No grouping today makes sense if no prime ministers or presidents meet annually", he said. His remarks pointed to the need for leaders to maintain regular engagement for multilateral platforms to remain effective.

He also highlighted how geopolitical competition is weakening international cooperation and turning multilateral forums into spaces of strategic contestation. He has served as India's Ambassador to Myanmar and Mexico, and as High Commissioner to Kenya and South Africa and as DG of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) from 2012 to 2015.

Savio Rodrigues

Savio Rodrigues is a Research Analyst at Escape Velocity MediaWorks Pvt Ltd and writes for Chakra News on Defence, Geopolitics, National Security. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Mumbai.