Simon Tisdall, The Guardian: Little blue men: the maritime militias pushing China's claims
Ostensibly civilian fishermen are ‘buzzing’ US navy ships and those of neighbouring countries with rival territorial claims
China is using large numbers of irregular maritime militias, dubbed “little blue men”, to assert and expand its control over an increasingly large area of disputed and reclaimed islands and reefs in the strategically important South China Sea, the Pentagon says.
The militias, comprising hundreds of fishermen and motor boats mainly based on Hainan island, south of the mainland, have been involved in “buzzing” US navy ships and those of neighbouring countries with rival territorial claims.
By using ostensibly civilian craft and personnel, China is avoiding direct military-to-military confrontations and gaining an element of deniability, said Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant US defence secretary for east Asia, presenting a report on military security involving China.
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WNU Editor: It is a strategy that is working (so far).
1 comment:
I warned about China trying this tactic here a few months ago. I still think these "civilian" vessels will continue to get more and more agressive, until a US or other navy is forced to shoot or collides with one of these boats. My money is on a collision, and one of these small boats won't fair well in such an incident. It's what China wants and will push till it happens. That will provide cover for them to respond with military vessels, to "protect" their civilians. They can't file a complaint to the UN about the US or other navies entering the area, because their actions and claims in the area are illegal in the eyes of the international community.
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