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Chinese Fishing Boats Assembled in Vast Formation Near Taiwan

Past instances of Chinese fishing vessel gatherings have occurred in the Spratly Islands, as above, but at smaller scale (PCG file image)
Past instances of Chinese fishing vessel gatherings have occurred in the Spratly Islands, as above, but at smaller scale (PCG file image)

Published Jan 18, 2026 9:24 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Last month, ship-tracking data consultancy Starboard Maritime Intelligence detected something unusual in the East China Sea. In partnership with remote-sensing analysis firm ingeniSpace, its systems detected the simultaneous convergence of more than a thousand Chinese fishing vessels into a tight, coordinated line formation. The sudden, choreographed movement would serve little purpose for fishing, but could be useful for arranging a blockade. 

The first instance occurred on December 23-25, with the formation fully formed and in place on Christmas Day. 1,700 vessels joined in making two adjacent "L"-shaped patterns in waters just off Ningbo. 
 
The pattern recurred on January 9-12, and the vessels held their relative positions in formation for more than 30 hours, Starboard told the New York Times. 

The pattern was detected on AIS and verified using satellite imaging. The scale is far larger than any previously-identified Chinese maritime militia gatherings: ingeniSpace COO Jason Wang identified a vast swarm assembled in a north-south line stretching 200 miles long. It is not unusual for Chinese fishing vessels to act in a coordinated manner that aligns with state interests, but the scale is unusual. In operational deployment, the Chinese maritime militia is best known for its actions in the Spratly Islands, where it provides a "gray zone" show of force in the Philippine exclusive economic zone. These operations have rarely numbered more than 100 vessels in the past, and large accumulations in the Spratly chain have occurred at sheltered anchorages, not in an open seaway. 

The first round of fishing-vessel drills came amidst escalating tensions between China and the U.S. over continued American support for Taiwan's defense. On December 28, three days after the first fishing-boat drill, China announced a large-scale naval exercise in designated zones around Taiwan, explicitly aimed at practicing a blockade. The drills - dubbed "Justice Mission 2025" - were intended to send a message to Taiwan: that reunification with the mainland is inevitable, and Taiwan's cooperation with foreign powers will be punished.