ABSTRACT
This chapter surveys the organization, duties, and activities of the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) in the Bohai Gulf and Yellow Sea, specifically those based in the adjoining four coastal provinces: Liaoning, Hebei (and Tianjin Garrison), Shandong, and Jiangsu. Despite its significantly improved naval capacity, China continues to rely on its locally rooted “third sea force” as it advances “all elements” in pursuit of its goal, announced in 2012, to become a great maritime power. Paramount leader and Commander-in-Chief of China’s armed forces Xi Jinping himself takes a keen interest in supporting and employing the Maritime Militia. Although PAFMM development has been amply observed and analyzed vis-à-vis the South China Sea, almost nothing in detail or in English has previously been written regarding its Yellow Sea component. In surveying the basing locations, scale, organization, and established and potential missions for China’s Yellow Sea-based PAFMM, this chapter reveals fresh findings, including the establishment and utilization of specialized new units by organizations developing manned and unmanned undersea vehicles as well as related advanced technologies. China probably seeks to maintain the status quo regarding the Yellow Sea at present, which includes the use of PAFMM in intelligence collection. However, PAFMM forces currently conduct presence, harassment and sabotage, and escort operations in the South China Sea; their counterparts in the Yellow Sea have the ability to conduct similar activities, and they may well do so.
