The aggressive behavior of Chinese fishing fleets, including ramming other vessels, is a complex issue driven by a combination of factors:

1. Depleted Domestic Fish Stocks: China's own coastal waters have been severely overfished. To meet the massive domestic demand for seafood, China's vast fishing fleet has been forced to venture further and further from home, into the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of other countries.

2. State Support and Geopolitical Strategy: The Chinese government subsidizes its distant-water fishing fleet, making it a powerful economic and strategic tool. Many of these vessels are part of a "maritime militia" that operates as a de facto paramilitary force. Their activities, while framed as private commercial actions, are used to assert China's territorial claims, particularly in the South China Sea, and to project its power on a global scale.

3. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: China has been identified as the world's worst offender of IUU fishing. These fleets often operate without licenses, violate fishing regulations, and underreport their catch. The aggressive tactics, such as ramming, are often a response to attempts by other nations' coast guards to enforce their laws and stop illegal activities.

4. Lack of Enforcement in Weaker States: Many of the countries whose EEZs are being encroached upon lack the resources and capacity to effectively patrol and enforce their maritime boundaries. This makes their waters an attractive target for Chinese fishing fleets.

5. Economic and Sovereignty Concerns: This aggressive behavior undermines the sovereignty of other nations, which have the exclusive right to manage their resources within their EEZs. It also creates unfair competition for local fishermen and can lead to the collapse of marine ecosystems, with devastating consequences for the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities.

In essence, the ramming and aggressive maneuvers are not isolated incidents but part of a larger strategy that combines economic pressure, geopolitical ambition, and a disregard for international maritime law.

The silence from international bodies like the UN is not a simple matter of looking the other way. It's a complex issue rooted in the limitations of international law, the power of nation-states, and the nature of the organizations themselves.

Here are the key reasons why the UN and other world organizations are not taking more forceful action:

1. Weak Enforcement Mechanisms:

• Lack of Authority: The UN and other international bodies do not have a standing police or military force to enforce maritime law. They can issue resolutions, convene meetings, and call for action, but the ultimate responsibility for enforcing laws within a nation's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rests with that country's coast guard or navy.

• State Sovereignty: The principle of state sovereignty is a cornerstone of the international system. A country's EEZ is an area where it has special rights over marine resources, but the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) doesn't give international organizations the power to intervene without the consent of the coastal state or the flag state of the vessel in question.

2. The UNCLOS Framework and Its Gaps:

• Focus on Navigation, Not Fisheries: While UNCLOS is the primary framework for ocean governance, it was primarily designed to regulate navigation, define maritime zones, and manage the seabed. It provides a legal basis for EEZs, but it lacks specific, detailed rules and enforcement mechanisms for managing fisheries and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

• The "Flag State" Problem: Under international law, a vessel on the high seas is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of its "flag state" (the country where it is registered). This creates a loophole. Many fishing vessels, including Chinese ones, use "flags of convenience" from countries with lax regulations and weak enforcement. This makes it difficult to hold the vessel's owners accountable.

3. China's Economic and Political Influence:

• Veto Power: As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has veto power. Any resolution seeking to impose sanctions or authorize a more robust international response to its fishing fleet's activities would likely be vetoed by China.

• "Checkbook Diplomacy": China's economic power allows it to exert influence in other ways. It offers aid, loans, and investment to developing coastal nations, often in exchange for favorable fishing agreements or access to their ports. This makes these nations less likely to lodge formal complaints or take a hardline stance against Chinese fishing vessels.

• Control of International Organizations: China has a prominent presence in many international and regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs). These organizations often operate by consensus, which gives China a powerful voice and the ability to block or water down resolutions that are unfavorable to its interests.

4. The "Maritime Militia" and Deniability:

• Paramilitary Nature: The Chinese fishing fleet is not just a commercial enterprise; a significant portion of it functions as a "maritime militia" that acts as a de facto paramilitary force. This adds a layer of complexity. China can officially deny that these vessels are state-controlled, claiming they are private citizens, which makes it difficult for international bodies to hold the Chinese government directly responsible for their aggressive actions.

• Disputed Territories: Much of the ramming and aggressive behavior occurs in disputed waters, particularly the South China Sea. This transforms a law enforcement issue into a geopolitical one, as any international intervention could be seen as taking sides in a territorial dispute.

In summary, while there is widespread awareness of the problem, the international legal framework is not equipped for effective enforcement against a powerful and strategically-minded nation like China. The lack of a global consensus on enforcement, China's economic and political leverage, and the legal ambiguities surrounding the "maritime militia" all contribute to the perception of international inaction.

The activities of Chinese fishing fleets in African waters are extensive and have significant, often devastating, impacts. While the term "militia" might not be used in the same direct sense as in the South China Sea, the fleet's actions are often described as aggressive and state-backed, functioning as a form of economic and geopolitical projection.

Here's a breakdown of their activities and impact across the African continent:

1. The Scale of the Fleet and Illegal Fishing

• Vast and Subsidized Fleet: China has the world's largest distant-water fishing fleet, which is heavily subsidized by the Chinese government. These subsidies, particularly for fuel, make it economically viable for the fleet to travel thousands of miles to fish in foreign waters.

• Widespread Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing: Numerous reports from organizations like Greenpeace, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), and the Financial Transparency Coalition (FTC) have documented extensive IUU fishing by Chinese-owned vessels. These activities include:

  • Fishing without licenses: Vessels often enter the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of African nations without permission.

  • Underreporting catch: Even when licensed, they often underreport the volume of their catch to evade taxes and regulations.

  • Using illegal gear: This includes prohibited nets and aggressive, destructive practices like bottom trawling, which indiscriminately scoops up all marine life and destroys habitats.

  • "Flagging in" to African nations: Chinese companies create opaque corporate structures and use "front" companies to register their vessels in African countries, a practice that circumvents national laws and allows them to operate with little oversight.

2. Economic and Social Impact

• Depletion of Fish Stocks: The sheer size and industrial scale of Chinese trawlers lead to rapid overfishing. They target not only high-value fish but also small pelagic species like sardines and mackerel, which are a vital source of protein for coastal communities. This has led to a significant decline in fish stocks in areas like West Africa, threatening food security for millions of people.

• Threat to Livelihoods: The depletion of fish stocks directly impacts artisanal (small-scale) fishermen who rely on fishing for their livelihoods. With fewer fish in their traditional fishing grounds, local fishermen are forced to go further out to sea, often at great risk, or give up their profession entirely.

• "Saiko" Fishing: A particularly destructive practice is "saiko" fishing, where Chinese industrial trawlers catch vast quantities of "bycatch" (fish that are not their primary target), which they then illegally sell at sea to local canoes. While this may provide some short-term income for local traders, it is a key driver of the overfishing crisis and undermines the entire fishing sector.

• Human Rights Abuses: Reports have also emerged of human rights violations on board Chinese vessels, including physical violence, abusive working conditions, and the exploitation of African crew members.

3. Geopolitical and Strategic Context

• Projection of Power: The activities of the fishing fleet are not purely commercial. The fleet acts as a powerful arm of China's geopolitical strategy, projecting its presence and influence far from its shores. By gaining access to African ports and securing fishing agreements, China strengthens its economic and political ties across the continent.

• Corrupting Influence: China's economic leverage is used to secure favorable—and often opaque—fishing agreements with financially vulnerable African nations. This has led to accusations of corruption, where local officials are said to be complicit in allowing illegal fishing in exchange for financial incentives.

• Lack of African Enforcement: Many African countries lack the naval and surveillance capabilities to patrol their vast coastlines effectively. This leaves their waters vulnerable to illegal operators. While some nations like South Africa and Senegal have successfully intercepted and fined Chinese vessels, consistent enforcement is a major challenge.

In short, the Chinese fishing fleet's activities in Africa represent a significant challenge to the continent's marine ecosystems, economies, and sovereignty. The "militia" aspect is less about direct military confrontation and more about an aggressive, state-backed economic and political strategy that exploits legal loopholes and a lack of enforcement to assert control over valuable marine resources.