An impressive deployment of about 2,000 Chinese fishing boats has created a floating wall in the East China Sea near the disputed median line between China and Japan.
Approximately 2,000 Chinese fishing boats have formed a significant 'floating wall' in the East China Sea, particularly close to the contested median line between China and Japan. Geospatial analyses indicate that these vessels have created U-shaped barriers extending over 470 kilometers and spanning about 80 kilometers between December 24 and 26 of the previous year. This operation mirrors a similar event from January 11, when 1,500 boats occupied over 400 kilometers of disputed waters.
Analysts suggest that ordinary fishermen are being mobilized as a maritime militia, led by veterans, to obstruct other vessels' navigation and subtly reinforce China's territorial claims over the Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu in China. This strategy indicates a significant shift in Chinese tactics in the East China Sea, highlighting their intent to use civilian resources in national security operations.
This heightened maritime activity is likely to become a new norm, raising tensions between China and Japan and impacting regional security dynamics. With the growing presence of civilian maritime forces in strategic contests, it's evident that non-military assets are increasingly integral to China's approach in asserting its maritime claims, complicating diplomatic relations in this sensitive area.
