Quad plans joint patrols in Indo-Pacific to counter illegal fishing

Hmm, wouldn't it better to deal with the bogus claims issue first. Because if you don't China would just fish out an area move onto the next, claim the territory and move their fleet in.

All the squids exported from China are fished from disputed sea off Japan's western shores...

Don't play catchup to China, stop them in their tracks first. Pre-emptive.

A promising development where joint patrols will become the norm. Making it impossible for China to stop QUAD from operating continually in international waters China mistakenly likes to claim as its own.

I look forward to the first contact with Chinese or other nations illegally fishing where they are in violation of someone else's territory, to see what actions if any are taken to stop them.

A promising development where joint patrols will become the norm

How so? Many nations already patrol disputed areas only to be harrassed and harmed by China, because China keeps pulling out the 'this is sovereign territory' card.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/18/australian-naval-divers-injured-after-being-subjected-to-chinese-warships-sonar-pulses

The CCP has pretty much ignored UNCLOS ruling in favour of the Phillipines, so you'd think the first step is to make China obey international laws.

If China doesn't obey international laws, the quads can patrol as much as they want, it'll come to nothing.

Patrolling is essential. By sending ships into the waters claimed by China you prevent them from making their claims stick. You are telling the Chinese we are not going to let you have those waters as your own. Failing to patrol and assert your rights to use international waters cedes those waters to China. China is attempting a maritime version of adverse possession. The more nations that push back with patrols the weaker China's claim. China would have to escalate to acts of war to enforce their claims in the face of frequent joint patrols. It is doubtful China would be willing to do this.

They should be join patrols right up to China's bases and through the Taiwan Strait.

By sending ships into the waters claimed by China you prevent them from making their claims stick

Sure, the official line, but don't you think China has thought of this as well? Because the evidence says, China built artificial islands, China militarised them, China harrassed smaller nations, middle power nations, and even US recon flights.

At the same time, China has stopped other nations from developing energy platforms, fished from disputed waters and built up missile bases aimed directly at Japan. And, they will continue...because of the arbitrage between dispute and claimed.

Sure, the official line, but don't you think China has thought of this as well? Because the evidence says, China built artificial islands, China militarised them, China harrassed smaller nations, middle power nations, and even US recon flights.

They can build their sand islands but they can't enforce any claims to the adjacent waters without committing an act of war. You keep sending ships and airplanes into their territorial claims and make them either commit that act of war (suicide) or force them to back down. They can yell and stomp their feet all they wish. As long as ships still sail through it's all good. So you continue to sail ships through and force the Chinese to obey international law. Those sand islands won't be operational very long if China commits and act of war. They are not as useful as they appear.