Odd: Thousands of Chinese Fishing Vessels in Geometric Formation

[mike]

Seems odd.

Around 2,000 Chinese vessels have formed geometric shapes near Taiwan

The formations in the East China Sea have been observed three times since December.

Naval and military experts call these actions unprecedented in scale and suggest that they may be related to Beijing's preparations for a regional crisis, according to the Associated Press.

[barnhart]

I saw a ship tracking image of the formation. Very strange.

[JohnL]

Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

[barnhart]

Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

What is the advantage of forming 1,000 mile rectangles at sea?

[mike]

Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

Apparently this is not the first time; I've seen posts on X saying they've done it various times this year.

[Soloist]

[quote=JohnL post_id=299267 time=<a href="tel:1773498530">1773498530</a> user_id=31403]
Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

What is the advantage of forming 1,000 mile rectangles at sea?
[/quote]

Wife: Quite mysterious. If they were circles, I would think it was for pi day…

[JohnL]

Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

What is the advantage of forming 1,000 mile rectangles at sea?

It doesn't appear to be for reasons of fishing. The Chinese "fishing boats" that have been stopped in the past carried their version of Navy SEALS. Also some were smuggling both people and drugs.
Military wise strategically I can think of a few reasons.
Battle formation and covering each other from live fire.
Checking for underwater mines and submarines with underwater sonar with specialized trawling rigs.
Setting up or maybe pulling down underwater submarine nets.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Those aren’t fishing vessels. They’re China’s version of PT boats and recon. China is taking advantage of the Iran conflict now.

What is the advantage of forming 1,000 mile rectangles at sea?

It doesn't appear to be for reasons of fishing. The Chinese "fishing boats" that have been stopped in the past carried their version of Navy SEALS. Also some were smuggling both people and drugs.
Military wise strategically I can think of a few reasons.
Battle formation and covering each other from live fire.
Checking for underwater mines and submarines with underwater sonar with specialized trawling rigs.
Setting up or maybe pulling down underwater submarine nets.

Denial of the area to the enemy in the event of conflict.