China announces naval buildup to enforce claims -- 2011/may/3

Manila Standard Today -- China announces naval buildup to enforce claims -- 2011/may/3: "BEIJING—China says it is adding 36 new ships in five years to beef up the enforcement of the country’s vast maritime claims in the South China Sea.

China Marine Surveillance says it will add 1,000 officers this year to raise staffing to 10,000 and will buy 36 new ships over the next five years.

The official China Daily reported Monday that the agency now had 300 vessels of all types, along with 10 aircraft.

The paper said the increased capacity was needed to deal with a rising number of disputes involving China and other countries that share overlapping claims to the waters and island groups in the South China and East China seas.

The Philippines said in March that it planned to acquire patrol ships, aircraft and an air defense radar system to assert its claims.

Last month, Taiwan announced that the more than 100 coast guard troops stationed in a disputed area of the South China Sea would be trained by the Defense Ministry’s elite Marine Corps to carry out sea combat.

Some or all of the Spratly Islands and their surrounding waters are claimed by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei."