Foreign Media: China's Large-Scale Deployment of Fishing Vessels in the East China Sea Suspected of Conducting Military Exercises
According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on January 23, 2026, citing The New York Times, during the period from January 9 to 12, approximately 1,400 Chinese vessels gathered from the west and east of Japan, forming a rectangular formation on January 11. This formation is similar to a previous exercise held in the East China Sea on December 25, 2025, when about 2,000 ships formed an inverted L-shaped formation.
The New York Times cited Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, who stated that such movements do not conform to the usual patterns of fishing vessel activities and are likely "state-sponsored" actions.
These two formations demonstrate how China uses thousands of coordinated civilian militia vessels at sea to support military operations, such as blockades and shaping maritime situations. Maritime militias frequently reinforce China's territorial claims in the South China Sea through interception maneuvers and de facto occupation, with the largest scale in the region.
Ronnie Henry, a researcher at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told The New York Times that although a fleet of small fishing vessels may be difficult to form a real blockade, they could interfere with foreign warships' operations during a military emergency. Maritime militia vessels can support vessels directly related to the Chinese government, including coast guard ships; such cooperation occurred in 2024, when a coast guard ship collided with a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea.
ISW believes that maritime militia vessels are ostensibly civilian in nature, allowing China to maintain a denial right under international law and protect these vessels, despite their actual affiliation with the People's Liberation Army. China may use maritime militia vessels in its "cabbage strategy"—that is, forming multiple layers of ship encirclements around Taiwan, isolating external intervention during a military emergency.
This deployment coincides with diplomatic tensions between China and Japan over Taiwan defense issues. China may have chosen this location to deploy maritime militias as a show of strength following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Sanae, who stated that if China attacks Taiwan, it would trigger a "situation threatening survival," and Japan would likely be drawn into a Taiwan Strait incident. Taiwanese officials have noticed these vessel movements and have called for joint responses with regional partners. The Japan Coast Guard and Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the presence of these vessels.
Statement: The above equipment data comes from ISW reports.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1855481310027785/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.