East China Sea News

China is combining militia vessels with coast guard ships to expand "battlefield preparation" around Taiwan and into the western Pacific, Taiwan's Coast Guard said, warning the operations were also putting pressure on Japan and the Philippines.Responding to a Reuters exclusive this month on the first known sighting of a Chinese militia boat off Taiwan's Pacific coast in mid-August, the coast guard said it had dispatched a patrol boat to drive away the vessel, which was operating alongside a Chinese coast guard ship and a research vessel.The coast guard confirmed details in the Reuters report…