Image source: topwar.ru
In recent years, China has adopted a strategy of using the civil courts to increase the naval power of the nation. For military purposes Beijing can be used in a variety of ships – from fishing boats to ocean-going ferries. It is reported by CNBC.
The American expert community concerned "about the merger between the military and civilian forces" responsible Beijing, almost without concealing their strategy aimed at strengthening naval capabilities. Not only that, the Chinese Navy is the largest in the world, it increases its capacity and by the use of civil courts.
Using the civil courts China solves many problems that would be difficult to force warships. In particular, in the Spratly Islands in the South China sea, China pays fishing trawlers more than they could earn for fishing, just for the fact that these ships drop anchor for 280 days a year. Thus, Beijing is file its claim to the disputed archipelago, the Director of Asian initiatives for transparency of Maritime transport Gregory poling.
Not so long ago was running a special program of government subsidies, which aims to stimulate the construction of new vessels. Was created and the so-called "island of the Spratly fleet" from the trawlers. Currently, on the archipelago is located between 300 to 400 Chinese courts. Chinese trawlers prevented the ships from other countries to fish in the area of the Spratly Islands. The government of the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries, claiming the archipelago, are unable to do anything.
Warships also do not have the right to act against the civil courts, otherwise China will accuse any country in provoking the incident with the use of force against civilians.
But accidents happen. For example, in 2019, the Chinese trawler rammed a Philippine boat that was anchored to the North-East of the Spratly Islands. The team of the boat then was rescued by a passing Vietnamese trawler.
According to Pauling, whose opinion we have quoted above, the use of the PRC civil courts in the case of conflict complicates the rules of warfare. Moreover, under the guise of fishermen can act professional sailors.
In addition, China, as stated by the American experts, bypass restrictions on the export of technologies in the field of defence, order of the civil court, which, in fact, are such only in name. For example, one research vessel has the capacity to launch sea and air drones can create military maps.
Naturally, such actions of China is not to the liking of his neighbors – from India to the Philippines. But most of all disturbances speak for US, who understand that in the foreseeable future, they can expect serious confrontation with China in the Asia-Pacific region.
