China's secret maritime militia: Fishermen the forward guard in South China Sea dispute

The Chinese are set to consolidate their control over the South China Sea with their final and most controversial round of island building right up against the Philippines.

Key points:

• China paying fishermen to build guerilla force in South China Sea
• Hainan island fishermen build on, and occupy, the disputed islands
• Many are ancestors of fishermen who helped establish the People's Republic

To do the job they will be relying on their maritime militia, a well-funded force drawn from China's vast fishing fleet.

The fishermen of Hainan Island are the forward guards in China's battle to take all of the South China Sea.

Operating as a guerrilla force and under civilian cover, they occupy and help build disputed islands.

Most of the fishermen refused to speak to the ABC but one captain did, as long we concealed his identity.

He had just returned from two months in the disputed Spratly islands.

"We won't go there if the Government doesn't pay us subsidies of about $20,000 each time, and we only get it if we commit to going four times a year. We don't make money from the fishing," he said.

The captain said it was a risky way to earn a living.

"In 1998 at Scarborough I was detained by the Philippines along with 60 people from four boats," he said.

"We were imprisoned for six months until the Chinese embassy paid to get us out."

The Government supplies and trains the crews of about 100 ships.

To travel out further and stay out longer, they recently modernised the fleet with 27 bigger steel-hulled trawlers equipped with satellite navigation.

They are just about to gear up for the most important mission yet: to occupy and build islands in the Scarborough Shoal, only 200 kilometres from the Philippines.

Once complete it will give China its iron triangle and complete control over the South China Sea.

That is an area taking in the Paracel Islands in the north down to the Spratly Island in the south and now Scarborough shoals in the east.

The Philippines will try to stop China with international court action.

Ms Yan Yan, the deputy director of China's National Institute for the South China Sea, says China will not abide by any ruling.

"China's position is very consistent and firm and they will not accept or participate in the arbitration case," she said.

Huang Xin Biao is a 50-year veteran of fishing and conflict in the South China Sea and says China will never give it up.

"The Philippines thinks its their territory and sometimes they beat us and steal from us," he said.

"But, it's our territory, our ancestors fished there for generations. My father died at sea. We've sacrificed a lot for it."

China's fishermen played a key role in establishing the People's Republic.

In a recent visit President Xi Jinping ordered them to continue their struggle and make China a great maritime power.

(Source : abc.net.au)

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