Maritime Militia

China's Maritime Militia
China's Maritime Militia
中国海上民兵
	A purpose-built Chinese Maritime Militia ship (type WAG FT-16) harassing a Filipino vessel resupplying a Spratly outpost, 2023
Country	People's Republic of China
Allegiance	Chinese Communist Party
Type	Maritime militia
Role	Naval patrols, reconnaissance, search and rescue; greyzone warfare; commercial fishing
Fleet	370,000 non-powered FVs (2015); 672,000 powered FVs (2015)
Engagements	Battle of the Paracel Islands; Harrasemnet of USNS Impeccable; Senkaku Islands incident; Great Wall of Sand; Scarborough Shoal standoff; Hai Yang Shi You 981 standoff; Whitsun Reef incident;

The Chinese Maritime Militia (Chinese: 中国海上民兵), also called the People's Armed Force Maritime Militia (PAFMM)^[3] or Fishery Militia (渔政民兵), is a naval militia of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is the smallest of the three maritime forces used in Chinese sea patrol operations, next to the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).^[4]

The maritime militia takes part in anti-access and area denial missions in areas of the Pacific Ocean claimed by China. By using law enforcement and "civilian" fishing vessels, the PRC is able to use "greyzone" tactics, avoiding a military conflict while still pursuing and enforcing its maritime claims.^[5]^[6]^[7]

^ "'Little blue men': Is a militia Beijing says doesn't exist causing trouble in the South China Sea?". 12 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference 08-15iuu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Rand History was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Kennedy, Conor (2018). "The Struggle for Blue Territory. Chinese Maritime Militia Grey-Zone Operations". RUSI Journal. 163 (5): 8. doi:10.1080/03071847.2018.1552450. S2CID 158779705 – via Taylor & Francis Online.
^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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[1] "'Little blue men': Is a militia Beijing says doesn't exist causing trouble in the South China Sea?". 12 August 2023.

[08-15iuu-2] Cite error: The named reference 08-15iuu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Rand_History-3] Cite error: The named reference Rand History was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Conor_2018-4] Kennedy, Conor (2018). "The Struggle for Blue Territory. Chinese Maritime Militia Grey-Zone Operations". RUSI Journal. 163 (5): 8. doi:10.1080/03071847.2018.1552450. S2CID 158779705 – via Taylor & Francis Online.

[:7-5] Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:3-6] Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:8-7] Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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