Chinas Seemiliz herausfordern – Council on Geostrategy

*Submission Statement:* Deniz Güzel and Gray Sergeant of the Council on Geostrategy identify the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) as a key instrument of China’s maritime strategy by using ostensibly civilian fishing vessels under state direction. These fishing vessels advance territorial claims and exert coercive pressure in the First Island Chain while avoiding open military conflict.

The militia’s blending of civilian and military roles creates operational, legal and strategic challenges for other nations by complicating attribution, delaying responses and enabling China to exploit gaps in international law below the threshold of armed conflict. The authors contend that the PAFMM is likely to play an expanding role in future pressure campaigns, particularly around Taiwan, including supporting blockade like operations and disrupting maritime traffic. To address these challenges, it’s recommended that the United Kingdom and its allies adopt a coordinated „lawfare“ strategy based on legal resilience, legal vigilance and a stronger legal framework for attributing militia actions directly to the CCP. It will be necessary to strengthen international legal coordination, expose China’s maritime activities, and support regional partners in order to counter Beijing’s use of maritime militia while upholding international law in the Indo-Pacific.