A 'People's War at Sea'

[Randy W]

You see these vessels in action from time-to-time whenever there's a confrontation in the South China Seas

 

from China Realtime in the Wall Street Journal

 

Meet the Chinese Maritime Militia Waging a ‘People’s War at Sea’

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-HQ939_mines_G_20150330230039.jpg

A photo published in a report on Chinese mine warfare by the U.S. Naval War College shows Chinese civilian fishing vessels practicing deploying sea mines at a naval base in Sanya in 2004. Courtesy of U.S. government

 

 

China’s force, which was formed in the early years of the People’s Republic, is drawn from the world’s largest fishing fleet. In recent years, it has grown in sophistication and importance, performing a range of tasks from supplying building materials to collecting intelligence. The most advanced units are even training to confront foreign ships, if necessary, in a guerrilla-style “People’s War at Sea” with sea mines and anti-air missiles. It now essentially functions as Beijing’s first line of surveillance, support and pressure in promoting the country’s claims and interests in East and South China seas.

 

. . .

 

Maritime militias also help to maintain a Chinese presence in disputed areas or landing on claimed islands, coordinating with the nation’s political and diplomatic efforts. The key push is to achieve the best combination of units’ everyday fishing or work activities with national “struggles” on the sea, while maintaining the ability to respond swiftly to a call of duty from military commanders.

 

[Doug]

So we can blow up their military and starve them to death at the same time. Cool.