A Chinese sailor signals Russian ships as a Chinese-Russian joint naval drill concludes off Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China. © Reuters
Nikkei Asian Review: China puts US Navy on notice with far-flung ports and big guns
Xi's drive to become a maritime superpower echoes European imperialism.
TOKYO -- Despite its long coast along the South and East China seas, much of China is landlocked and far from any port. Traditionally, the country has focused on strengthening its army. Now, however, it is prioritizing a naval buildup that could allow it to rival the U.S. at sea.
The strategy for becoming a maritime superpower centers on acquiring the rights to ports in Southeast Asia and on toward the oil-rich Middle East. Although the ostensible goal is to secure stable access to energy and other resources, analysts suspect these bases could be used for military purposes in the event of a clash.
Dovetailing with the port acquisitions is a quest for high-tech firepower. And China might have just beat the U.S. in developing the cannon of the future.
"Our country may have developed the world's first warship equipped with a rail gun," a comment on Chinese social media said.
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WNU Editor: The sentence that caught my eye in the above report was this one .... To command the seas, aircraft carriers are essential chess pieces, and a Hong Kong newspaper recently quoted an expert saying China will likely deploy four carrier strike groups by 2030.
