| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Considering the growth, broadening national interests and the spectacular rise in
energy requirements that resulted in the import of 4.3 million bbl/d of crude oil in
2010-for China, ensuring mechanisms that guarantee energy supply to a booming
domestic economy is becoming increasingly vital. Beijing recognizes a strong
navy would constitute one such mechanism, and has for some time been in the
process of upgrading its naval force. A strong navy would serve other interests as
well. For one, it could help Beijing increase the chances of a favorable outcome
in case of a conflict with Taiwan. It could also allow China to settle the numerous
territorial claims in its littoral close to its ideal, with little involvement from nonclaimant states. Additionally, it could allow Beijing to project power further in
the Asia-Pacific. This article is an assessment of the various factors driving naval
modernization in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It also details China's
current naval capabilities and the recent trends in military expenditure. It will
conclude by suggesting that though China's navy is being rapidly built up, it
would be imprudent to assume that such modernization necessarily indicates future
Chinese bellicosity; and even if hegemony were a goal for the PRC, concluding that
naval aggression will be the most efficient way for Beijing to realize such ambitions
would be erroneous.
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