China Coast Guard’s new 60-day detention rules come into force

China Coast Guard rules allowing it to detain foreigners suspected of trespassing in its waters for up to 60 days came into force on Saturday, stoking fears of escalation amid rising tensions in the disputed South and East China Seas.

The updated regulations, which were announced last month and expand the China Coast Guard Law of 2021, include detailed procedural guidelines for punishing what it defines as illegal activities in “waters under China’s jurisdiction.”

It states that foreign nationals suspected of violating China’s immigration laws or “threaking national security interests or undermining public order” in the country’s claimed waters can be detained for 30 days, or up to 60 days in “complicated cases.”