Editing People's Liberation Army Navy (section)

===Territorial disputes===
{{see also|Territorial disputes in the South China Sea|East China Sea EEZ disputes|Battle of the Paracel Islands}}
[[File:South China Sea claims map.svg|thumb|Maritime claims in the South China Sea]]

====Spratly Islands dispute====
The [[Spratly Islands dispute]] is a [[territorial dispute]] over the ownership of the [[Spratly Islands]], a group of islands located in the [[South China Sea]]. States staking claims to various islands are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and People's Republic of China. All except Brunei occupy some of the islands in dispute.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Island Tracker Archive |url=https://amti.csis.org/island-tracker/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative |language=en-US}}</ref>

On 14 March 1988, Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces [[Johnson South Reef Skirmish|clashed]] over [[Johnson South Reef]] in the Spratly Islands, which involved three PLAN frigates.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anti-China sentiment flares up in Vietnam |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/3/14/anti-china-sentiment-flares-up-in-vietnam |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=Al Jazeera |date=14 March 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

In February 2011, the Chinese frigate ''[[Chinese frigate Dongguan|Dongguan]]'' fired three shots at Philippine fishing boats in the vicinity of {{ill|Jackson Atoll|zh|五方礁}}. The shots were fired after the frigate instructed the fishing boats to leave, and one of those boats experienced trouble removing its anchor.<ref>{{cite news |title=China fired at Filipino fishermen in Jackson atoll |first=Tessa |last=Jamandre |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/06/02/11/china-fired-filipino-fishermen-jackson-atoll |work=[[ABS-CBN]] |date=3 June 2011 |access-date=10 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Inside the Ring: China warship grounded |first=Bill |last=Gertz |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/8/inside-the-ring-china-warship-grounded/?page=all |newspaper=The Washington Times|date=8 August 2012 |access-date=10 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811152125/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/8/inside-the-ring-china-warship-grounded/?page=all |archive-date=11 August 2012 }}</ref>

====Senkaku Islands dispute====
The [[Senkaku Islands dispute]] concerns a territorial dispute over a group of [[Desert island|uninhabited islands]] known as the Diaoyu Islands in China, the [[Senkaku Islands]] in Japan,<ref name="name cnn">{{cite news |last=Ogura |first=Junko |title=Japanese party urges Google to drop Chinese name for disputed islands |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-14/world/japan.google.disputed.islands_1_diaoyu-islands-chinese-fishing-captain-senkaku-islands?_s=PM:WORLD |newspaper=CNN World |date=14 October 2010 |agency=CNN |location=US |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004161611/http://articles.cnn.com/2010-10-14/world/japan.google.disputed.islands_1_diaoyu-islands-chinese-fishing-captain-senkaku-islands?_s=PM%3AWORLD |archive-date=4 October 2012}}</ref> and [[Senkaku Islands|Tiaoyutai Islands]] in Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/look-out-for-the-diaoyu-islands/ |title=Look Out for the Diaoyu Islands |last=Kristof |first=Nicholas |date=10 September 2010 |work=The New York Times|access-date=15 August 2012}}</ref> Aside from a 1945 to 1972 [[United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands|period of administration by the United States]], the archipelago has been controlled by Japan since 1895.<ref>{{cite web|author=John W. Finney |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/11/archives/senate-endorses-okinawa-treaty-votes-84-to-6-for-islands-return-to.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027042715/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/11/11/archives/senate-endorses-okinawa-treaty-votes-84-to-6-for-islands-return-to.html |archive-date=27 October 2018 |url-status=unfit |title=Senate Endorses Okinawa Treaty – Votes 84 to 6 for Island's Return to Japan – Rioters There Kill a Policeman Senate, in 84 to 6 Vote, Approves the Treaty Returning Okinawa to Japan – Front Page |work=The New York Times |date=11 November 1971 |access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> The People's Republic of China disputed the proposed U.S. handover of authority to Japan in 1971<ref>[[Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea]] (NILOS). (2000). {{Google books|6GOVS_0Zm6oC|''International Organizations and the Law of the Sea,'' pp. 107–108.|page=107}}</ref> and has asserted its claims to the islands since that time.<ref>Lee, Seokwoo ''et al.'' (2002). {{google books|MZGsi1ptLvoC|''Territorial disputes among Japan, Taiwan and China concerning the Senkaku Islands,'' pp. 11–12.|page=11}}</ref> Taiwan also has claimed these islands.  The disputed territory is close to key shipping lanes and rich fishing grounds, and it may have major oil reserves in the area.<ref name="BBCQnA">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11341139 "Q&A: China-Japan islands row"] ''[[BBC News]]'' 11 September 2012</ref>

On some occasions, ships and planes from various mainland Chinese and Taiwanese government and military agencies have entered the disputed area. In addition to the cases where they escorted fishing and activist vessels, there have been other incursions. In an eight-month period in 2012, over forty maritime incursions and 160 aerial incursions occurred.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japan Will Have Busy Year Defending Islands Against China | author=Richard D. Fisher Jr. |url=http://www.aviationweek.com/awmobile/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_02_25_2013_p15-544303.xml |newspaper=Aviation Week |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=5 March 2013 |quote=Between March and November, 47 Chinese ship incursions were recorded. From April to December, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) scrambled fighters 160 times in response to Chinese aircraft in the East China Sea, up from 156 in 2011. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104125823/http://www.aviationweek.com/awmobile/Article.aspx?id=%2Farticle-xml%2FAW_02_25_2013_p15-544303.xml |archive-date=4 November 2013}}</ref> For example, in July 2012, three Chinese patrol vessels entered the disputed waters around the islands.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/RestOfAsia/Chinese-ships-near-disputed-islands-Japan/Article1-886758.aspx |title=Chinese ships near disputed islands: Japan |date=11 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111021822/http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/RestOfAsia/Chinese-ships-near-disputed-islands-Japan/Article1-886758.aspx |archive-date=11 November 2013 }}</ref>

Military escalation continued in 2013. In February, Japanese Defense Minister [[Itsunori Onodera]] claimed that a Chinese frigate had [[Missile lock-on|locked weapons-targeting radar]] onto a Japanese destroyer and helicopter on two occasions in January.<ref>{{cite web|title=Japan Protests Chinese Ship's Alleged Use of Radar to Guide Missiles |first=Steve |last=Herman |date=5 February 2013 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-warship-locked-prefiring-radar-on-japanese-navy-tokyo/1597325.html |publisher=Voice of America |access-date=6 February 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207120727/http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese-warship-locked-prefiring-radar-on-japanese-navy-tokyo/1597325.html |archive-date=7 February 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Japan Accuses China of Using Weapons Radar on Ship |first=Mari |last=Yamaguchi |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_ASIA_DISPUTED_ISLANDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-02-05-09-22-53 |agency=Associated Press|date=5 February 2013 |access-date=7 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208012003/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_ASIA_DISPUTED_ISLANDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-02-05-09-22-53 |archive-date=8 February 2013 }}</ref> A Chinese [[Type 053H3 frigate|Jiangwei II class frigate]] and a Japanese destroyer were three kilometers apart, and the crew of the latter vessel went to battle stations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stopping short of war |author=Eric S Margolis |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/11-Feb-2013/stopping-short-of-war |newspaper=The Nation |publisher=Nawaiwaqt Group of Newspapers |date=11 February 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215141510/http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/11-Feb-2013/stopping-short-of-war |archive-date=15 February 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Chinese state media responded that their frigates had been engaged in routine training at the time.<ref>{{cite news |title=China refutes Japan's allegations on radar targeting |first=Bi |last=Mingxin |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-02/08/c_132160506.htm |newspaper=Xinhua |publisher=Xinhua Network Corporation Limited |date=8 February 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211070028/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-02/08/c_132160506.htm |archive-date=11 February 2013}}<br />{{cite news |title=China Denies Directing Radar at Japanese Naval Vessel and Copter |first=Chris |last=Buckley |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/09/world/asia/china-denies-directing-radar-at-japanese-military.html |newspaper=The New York Times|date=8 February 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013 }}</ref>

====Other incidents====
[[File:Chinese frigate Dongguan aground on Half Moon Shoal.jpg|thumb|''Dongguan'' aground on the [[Half Moon Shoal]], 22 July 2011]]

On 22 July 2011, following its Vietnam port-call, the Indian amphibious assault vessel {{ship|INS|Airavat|L24|2}} was reportedly contacted 45 nautical miles from the Vietnamese coast in the disputed South China Sea by a party identifying itself as the Chinese Navy and stating that the Indian warship was entering Chinese waters.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_india-china-face-off-in-south-china-sea-report_1582481 "China face-off in South China Sea"] DNA India report</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers47/paper4677.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330094421/http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers47/paper4677.html|url-status=usurped|title=Southasiaanalysis.org|archive-date=30 March 2012|website=Southasiaanalysis.org|access-date=22 February 2022}}</ref> According to a spokesperson for the [[Indian Navy]], since there were no Chinese ships or aircraft were visible, the INS ''Airavat'' proceeded on her onward journey as scheduled. The Indian Navy further clarified that "[t]here was no confrontation involving the INS ''Airavat''. India supports freedom of navigation in international waters, including in the South China Sea, and the right of passage in accordance with accepted principles of international law.  These principles should be respected by all."<ref name=autogenerated2 />

On 11 July 2012, the Chinese frigate ''Dongguan'' ran aground on Hasa Hasa Shoal (''pictured'') located 60 [[Nautical mile|nmi]] west of [[Rizal, Palawan|Rizal]], which was within the Philippines' 200 nmi-[[Exclusive economic zone|EEZ]].<ref name="China ship runs aground">Laude, Jamie. [http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=827335&publicationSubCategoryId=63 "China ship runs aground near Phl"] ''[[The Philippine Star]]''. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.</ref> By 15 July, the frigate had been refloated and was returning to port with no injuries and only minor damage.<ref name="Stranded ship refloated">[http://sg.news.yahoo.com/chinese-frigate-aground-shoal-says-manila-115506463.html "Stranded naval frigate refloated."] [[Agence-France Presse|AFP]]. 15 July 2012</ref> During this incident, the 2012 [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations|ASEAN]] summit took place in [[Phnom Penh, Cambodia]], amid the rising regional tensions.<ref name="Stranded ship refloated" />