Numerous fishing vessels from China are now subject to the suspicion that they are being used as a means to surreptitiously deploy a naval force in the South China Sea.
According to a Want China Times report, James Kraska, an expert in international law at the U.S. Naval War College, stated that the fishing vessels are becoming some form of maritime militia projecting Beijing's naval power and influence in the disputed regions.
Kraska adds that China has the world's largest fishing fleet, with over 200,000 vessels in service, which are capable of exacerbating the situation with its rival claimants.
Observers expect policymakers in the region to be more wary in any event that a maritime crisis could result in a full-scale war with China.
During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese fishing boats were utilized to supply intelligence to the People's Navy of Vietnam and to deliver supplies to the Viet Cong, to the detriment of the U.S. Navy.
The latter could not open fire on the vessels as it is illegal for warships to attack fishing boats, in accordance with international law.
Given that China possesses a large number of such vessels, the country could be applying a similar strategy employed by Vietnam.
In his report, Kraska explains that there is reason to believe that the fishermen manning the Chinese vessels are receiving military training and political education.
Complementing such personnel are vessels that are supplied with advanced equipment, including communication and radar systems.
Furthermore, the report claims that Beijing is capable of mobilizing 14 million of these trained fishermen should a conflict break out against the U.S. or its regional allies.