Abstract: The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) turned 60 on April 23, 2009. China held an unprecedented celebration on this occasion. For the first time in its history, China invited foreign navies to the PLAN's birthday event. Yet behind the smiling faces, the world saw an ambitious Chinese navy eager to edge its way to the center stage of world maritime affairs. At the strategic level, China has raised the stakes of its need for great maritime power as a precondition for its becoming a full-fledged global power. This means upgrading the PLAN to a top-ranked world-class naval power, the threshold of which, as the Chinese see it, is the possession of aircraft carrier battle groups and long-range power projection capabilities. The second component of China's maritime power will be a world-class seaborne merchant fleet to meet the nation's growing demand for trade and resources supply. Already China is among the world's top seaborne transport holders -- it has the world's fourth largest merchant fleet and third largest shipbuilding industry; runs the heaviest container port traffic; and has 5 of the world's 10 busiest seaports. The third part of China's maritime power will cover all of its ocean interests, long-claimed (the disputed islands and the entire South China Sea) as well as those expanded by the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST). These include the 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and Extended Continental Shelves (ECS). However, this claim complicates China's old disputes with its neighbors, all of whom are also members of the LOST and entitled to claim their share of the pie. China's quest for maritime power will eventually alter the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region. But until China and its ocean neighbors settle their disputes, there will be no harmony and peace in the Asia-Pacific Ocean.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Description: |
Editorial |
| Pages: |
4 |
| Report Date: |
Jun-2009 |
| Report Number: |
A566994 |
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