Maritime Militias: How Paramilitary Forces Redefine the World’s Key Waterways

Recent incidents highlight the growing trend of state-backed militias being used to unofficially project power on the high seas

Chinese fishing vessels near Whitsun Reef, which is disputed between China and the Philippines. Vessels tied together, or rafting, is a gray-zone tactic to establish semi-permanent floating outposts. Source

On December 10, 2023, two Philippine ships accompanied by a coast guard vessel embarked on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, a naval vessel…