Image Credit: China Defense Blog

http://thediplomat.com/2017/05/chinas-maritime-operation-the-gray-zone-in-black-and-white/

There is no problem in the “gray zone” because the “gray zone” does not exist.

By Ben Lowsen
May 18, 2017

“Much has been made lately of China’s maritime operations in the “gray zone,” referring to operations achieving military objectives like island seizure while using non-military forces, namely China’s Coast Guard and Maritime Militia (the China Maritime Studies Institute has extensive resources here, in particular this), in order to avoid conflict. U.S. leaders and scholars worry about the implications of the presence on the battlefield of civilians, or troops posing as civilians (for example here, here, and most recently here). But why all the concern about the seemingly minor threat of non-military forces?”