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China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee is seeking public comments on a draft Coast Guard Law [海警法] for the South China Sea It looks like anyone can comment! https://npcobserver.com/2020/11/04/npcsc-solicits-public-comments-on-draft-coast-guard-law/ via @NPC_Observer
One unofficial translation I've seen says the law "will allow the coast guard to: To check foreign vessels, mooring and operating in China's jurisdictional seas" The huge question must be whether the law will actually define what those "jurisdictional seas" actually are.
What does China mean by "jurisdictional seas"? If it means UNCLOS definitions of territorial sea and (conventionally defined) Exclusive Economic Zone - then that would be a major de-escalation and a big step towards peaceful conflict resolution in the South China Sea.
If, however, "jurisdictional seas" means everything inside the U-shaped/9-dashed line then China is setting itself on the opposite path - towards conflict. That could mean conflict with neighbouring countries or with any passing navy.
My guess is that Beijing will leave the definition unresolved, adding to the uncertainty. This is the legacy of the nonsense of the U-shaped line (which I explain in Chapter 8 of my new book, by the way... https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300234824/invention-china )
