'Dramatic shift': China's maritime militia intensifies activity in South China Sea

As per a Bloomberg report, the increase from a year earlier was accompanied by 'a dramatic shift' in vessels to Mischief Reef in the summer of 2023 when over 180 boats were observed gathered there from July. "The data shows that China’s militia is as active as ever," the report says. "The reason for this increase, an anomaly compared to the previous year's peak of only 37 vessels at Mischief, is unclear."