The United States is no longer the world’s only global naval power.
Why would China go to the trouble and expense of mounting an expedition to the northern climes in the Western Hemisphere? Because it sees value in staging a presence in distant waters. And because it can: Beijing no longer depends completely on its oceangoing battle fleet to ward off threats in China’s seas. It can now rain long-range precision firepower on enemy fleets from land. Ergo, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet can cruise the far reaches of the Pacific and Indian oceans or even beyond, without forfeiting China’s interests in waters close to home. For China, the upsides of far-ranging maritime strategy are many and compelling, the downsides fewer and fewer.
Tags: geopolitics, political, water, China, East Asia.
Via Clairelouise, Mike Busarello's Digital Storybooks
The nation that controls the seas, controls the world. Throughout history the leading Naval powers have always been the worlds most dominate nations. The greatest land forces, are no match for the supremacy of the seas. Not even Napoleon could beet back the power of a supreme navy( The British Royal Navy). Since the end of the Second World War, The United States navy has dominated the seas. That domination has made the U.S the worlds greatest nation over the course of the past 75 years. For China to displace the U.S atop the nations hierarchy, they most out due us on the seas. China is ware of this history, and that is why they are heavily investing in their naval technology. The key to the future, as it has been in the past, will be what nation can dominate the worlds seas.
the growing strength of the Chinese navy is worrying from a military perspective, as during the cold war one of the main reasons they were not considered as big a threat as the Russians was because of their inability to project force beyond mainland china. with their navel improvements this is no longer the case. what this will hold for the future, we can only wait and see.