Thousands of Chinese fishing vessels, often referred to as the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM), have been observed gathering in large, coordinated geometric formations in the East China Sea, raising concerns among analysts and regional security experts. Satellite imagery and ship-tracking data show the boats aligning into long lines or patterns and remaining stationary for about 30 hours in gale-force winds, before dispersing—behavior that appears inconsistent with normal fishing activity.
Animated map of the East China Sea showing geometric formations of around 1,000 Chinese fishing vessels between January 10 and 13, 2026 pic.twitter.com/EZ8jeHEiU5
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 13, 2026
Experts suggest the movements could involve China’s maritime militia, a civilian fleet that can support military operations or enforce territorial claims, potentially indicating training or mobilization linked to tensions around Taiwan and nearby waters. Allison Jackson of Barrons writes:
Maritime and military experts told AFP the massing of Chinese fishing boats on December 25, about 300 kilometres northeast of Taiwan, was on a scale they had never seen before. […]
While there is debate about why so many Chinese fishing vessels would gather in geometric formations in the open sea, experts widely agree that they were not there to fish. […]
“They’re definitely not fishing.” – Jennifer Parker – Expert Associate at the National Security College of the Australian National University
A report, “China’s Global Fishing Offensive” by the US House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, says China operates the world’s largest distant-water fishing fleet, supported by state subsidies and global logistics networks. The report argues that the fleet may support maritime militia and intelligence activities.
