use in nearly every maritime operation undertaken by the China Coast Guard and Navy, often harassing vessels from neighboring states. The maritime militia is believed to be behind a number of incidents in the South China Sea where high powered lasers were pointed at the cockpits of aircraft. This includes an attack against a Royal Australian Navy helicopter. In 2019, the United States issued a warning to China over aggressive and unsafe action by their Coast Guard and maritime militia. In August 2020, more than 100 fishing boats approached the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands. Equipment Most vessels are issued with navigation and communication equipment while some are also issued small arms. Some PLAFMM units are equipped with naval mine and anti-aircraft weapons. The communications systems can be used both for communication and espionage. Often fishermen supply their own vessels, however, there are also core contingents of the maritime militia who operate vessels fitted out for militia work instead of fishing; these vessels feature reinforced bows for ramming and high powered water cannons. The increasing sophistication of militia vessels' communication equipment is a double-edged sword for Chinese authorities. New equipment, as well as training in its use, has substantially improved command, control, and coordination of militia units. However, the vessels' resulting professionalism and sophisticated maneuvers make them more identifiable as government-sponsored actors, dampening their ability to function as a gray-zone force. Such improvements also potentially make militia vessels more threatening during at-sea confrontations, raising the risk of unintended escalations with foreign militaries. The PAFMM has utilized rented fishing vessels and purpose-built ships in its operations. Capabilities According to research from the Taiwanese Institute for National Defense and Security Research, China's maritime militia is part of their “grey zone" tactics which are used to wage conflict against China's neighbors without crossing the threshold into conventional war. The maritime militia is a particularly useful gray zone force because Chinese authorities can deny or claim affiliation with its members depending on context. China can send its militia to harass foreign vessels in contested areas, but publicly assert that the vessels are independent from government control, thus avoiding escalation with other states. At the same time, if militia members are hurt during confrontations with foreign vessels, the Chinese government can claim the need to "defend" its own fishermen, mobilizing domestic nationalism to improve its bargaining position in a crisis. According to a Congressional Research Service report,