ASSESSMENTS

Mapping China's Maritime Ambition

Nov 23, 2014 | 14:00 GMT

A crew member stands guard on the deck of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Wei Fang, docked at the Myanmar International Terminal Thilawa port on the outskirts of Yangon on May 23.
A crew member stands guard on the deck of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Wei Fang, docked at the Myanmar International Terminal Thilawa port on the outskirts of Yangon on May 23.

(WIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Summary

The Chinese navy continues to greatly expand its seaborne forays across the globe, as well as its general activity closer to home. Because of this, the Chinese are increasingly recognizing the need to improve both their underway logistics capabilities (the means of sustaining a fleet of ships at sea) and the global infrastructure needed to facilitate their long-distance deployments.

Beijing's waterborne forces have become very active over the past five years. Sortie rates are increasingly high, and the number of global maritime deployments by the People's Liberation Army Navy is growing. Because of this, the Chinese are increasingly recognizing the need to improve both their underway logistics capabilities and the global infrastructure needed to facilitate their long-distance deployments....

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